to someone from a warm climate

Rachel Ellen Su-Jin Park (Rae Elle's just fine). 29. Clerk at Broken Record [closed blog for Lunar Cove RP]

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

"All magic comes at a cost." The witch spoke with the weight of experience. In her mind, magic could be destructive or it could be helpful. The deciding factor, however, did not originate in the power's raw source, rather in the intention of the wielder. "You don't have to be." Sun-Hee's words a promise. Her friendship with Rae Elle wasn't contingent upon whether the witch was in the coven or not. While force might work for other species groups, she did not considered compulsory commitment a part of building meaningful community. "What happened?" The question posed before Sun-Hee realized she was responding to a thought in Rae Elle's head. "Sorry. You don't have to tell me." Her smile was apologetic before Jagi chittered and it dimpled into something more genuine. "Maybe. I wouldn't count your influence a bad thing."

[earthwindandraen]

"Sometimes it's just knowin' what the cost might be, huh?" Rae Elle mused. She kept up her smile, though she found herself relaxing a little more. "Maybe one day," she said again. She'd attached herself to people, now, and she had made the decision to go where they went, now that they'd found each other again. And so she'd go with them, or she'd stay with them. The question was startling, but Rae wasn't new to mind readers, so she took it in stride. "I joined a coven because I wanted power and I wanted revenge. Those ain't never a good reason to do anything." Rae just laughed. "You say that now, you know, but you don't know what I do. Maybe I liked to smoke behind the bleacher."

[zuvaxmoyoleroy]

"And if I can't? You bein' real rude," he teased back. Couldn't help it, really. That was how this all worked. He drifted a little closer into her space, a smirk tugging wider as he gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Sure, other folks tell me I'm pretty." He waved a hand dismissively. "Sometimes I listen. Most times I already know. But you ever think maybe I just like hearin' it from you? Different when it's you." Sincerity lingered for a moment before he slipped out of it. "Who else but me," he replied easy, "I promise a quick clean up too." But hoped things wouldn't get that out control. It was just disgruntled customers, that's all. He had worse, they've dealt with real dangerous.

True to word, Zuva made no noise as she handled them, expressions however had a mind of their own. Not that she saw, Rae was very professional from what he was witnessing.

"Impressive," he said popping back up after the coast was clear. "Don't think they're gonna come back here. Might not even be lookin' for me anymore."

[earthwindandraen]

There wasn't a lot of time to prepare between Zuva talking and the door opening, but that was just fine. This was not Rae Elle's first rodeo in retail. She knew how to put on the best customer service voice. The accent always helped. It was great for waiting tables in nowhere diners, picking up some tips here and there so that she could hit the road again. But it worked just fine as selling music, too. Or warding off nosy, slighted customers.

No, sorry, no fella by that description came in, but would you wanna take a look around? Sorry, cher, you need help lookin'? Wouldn't be a bother at all for me, but I'd need to get someone down here to help run the place, and we got a new shipment comin' in soon. Just some old vinyl, there's a used section over in the corner there, fine little collection. You like The Ramones? I think there's some over there, actually...

By the time they'd left, Rae had made a sale, and the unhappy couple seemed to at least be on friendly terms and not worried about some wily tattoo artist, which had been the biggest of Rae's worries. She offered Zuva a grin. "Well, if they do come back in here, it ain't gonna be because they're lookin' for you. It's gonna be because I'm damn good at my job, yeah?"

[kamranxahmadix]

Closed starter for @earthwindandraen Location: The blackout

"It's been one week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said, 'I'm angry.' Five days since you laughed at me, saying 'Get back together, come back and see me.'" Standing behind the performance area, hair already sticking to his face from the heat, Kamran jammed out on an acoustic guitar. While he did not necessarily mind being 'unplugged,' some of his usual flourishes did not quite have the same impact with the pop and fizzle of electricity. He tried to make up for it in gusto, swinging back too far and nearly sending his instrument smashing into Rae's face.

"Oh! My bad! I was just...you gotta get pumped for crowd work, you know?" He flashed an apologetic simper, dropping his arms to his sides. Diet Pepsi, the bearded dragon, manifested on his back before scuttling up to settle atop the witch' shoulder. Kamran cocked his eyes in the creature's direction. "He thinks we could generate enough electric spell power to at least get the amps working. Do you think people would be mad?"

[earthwindandraen]

Rae Elle just barely ducked out of the way, offering Kamran a smile. "No sweat, cher. No harm done." The weather was hot, and the lack of power certainly didn't help, but Rae had worn all black in the Deep South for most of her life. She had a folding fan and used it to offer herself a momentary reprieve from the heat.

At the mention of using a spell, Rae just hummed, considering it for a moment. "Any sorta spell's only gonna last a few minutes at most before you gotta pump in some more magic again. So I guess it really kinda depends on how much gas you've got in the tank, so to speak. But I don't think folks'd be mad. It might be kinda nice, even, for somethin' to be workin' in this heat. They might think it'd be better to put some of that energy into some A/C, but, really, this ain't that bad.

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

"If you say so." Her eyes playfully rolled before curiosity caused Sun-Hee to lean over and sniff the flower Rae Elle made bloom. "Pretty." She complimented both the witch and her creation. "Everyone has their own journey, right?" It hadn't always been easy for Sun-Hee to be herself, but time allowed for her confidence to grow. "I appreciate your faith. It's always an open invitation," She chose her words carefully, as not to cross the boundaries of their friendship. "should you wish to join." Her mind didn't linger on the subject, instead smiling at Jagi as the familiar slipped into Rae Elle's hair as Jin often did her own. "In a showing off sense? Lots of young witches could use such an example."

[earthwindandraen]

Rae just hummed. "Comes at a bit of a cost, but most things do," she said. She could agree with Sun-Hee's sentiments, though. Everyone had their journey, and it wasn't always easy. That was just life. It was nice to know that the woman in front of her was pretty confident in where her journey had taken her, be that her sexuality or her status as supreme. Rae Elle gave her a smile. "And I appreciate it, cher. I ain't too sure if that's my journey, right now, but maybe one day? Like I say, I ain't much of a joiner." Her last experience with a coven was... fraught, to say the least. Even if it did give her what she wanted. "We like to show off, every now and then, huh?" The weasel chittered. "I can offer up a demonstration, if you'd like. Lots of them are still experimentin', huh? Maybe I could lead them to the dark side," she joked.

[cantfightmoonlight]

"You genuinely want to listen to our stuff, or is that just cause of 'friends and family' obligation?" She asked, genuinely surprised at Rae's request to even pay for it. Not that their stuff wasn't good or anything. She killed it on the drums, Zuv on the vocals and their songs were decent. Good, even, despite the amount of tribute crap they had to also throw in every time they performed to get anyone to truly listen to them. She just was genuinely surprised Rae of all people would have actually wanted to is all. "Uh, yeah, sure. You can keep one. But if you end up hating it, then its going to be full price."

[earthwindandraen]

Rae raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? I listen to most things, you know. Don't know why you'd think I wouldn't listen to the Hex Pistols when some of my favorite people are involved. I liked when y'all played back home, too, sugar." She loved music, and she always had. Of course she'd want to listen to things put out by the people she cared about the most. They'd always supported her; she didn't see why she shouldn't return the favor. She snorted. "I'm sure I'll love it. The last thing I listened to and didn't like was an NPR podcast on snails, honey, and that's just because I found the fella's voice a little grating. It takes a lot for me to hate somethin'."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

Rae Elle's laugh was exactly what Sun-Hee had been hoping to hear when she'd made her corny joke. "I think you mean hilarious!?" She didn't stick her tongue out, but the action was audible in her teasing tone. The witch watched the other with her familiar with silent admiration. Of all her magical gifts, Jin was Sun-Hee's favorite. "How am I feeling about...?" She watched the flower bloom in her peripheral vision, and the smile on her face widened, deep into her cheeks. "All of what? Oooooh! Being gay? Well, I came out of the closest a long time ago." She shrugged. A cheeky grin on her lips, as she bullshitted around what she knew Rae Elle really wanted to know. "About being Supreme?" Sun-Hee nodded to herself. "Honestly? I'm still processing it. I haven't attended a council meeting or inducted anyone into the coven ..yet." She was still getting her feet wet. "However, I am hosting a class next week for for familiars." The dark eyed woman eyed the weasel before her gaze flickered up to the familiar's witch. "Will you come?"

[earthwindandraen]

"I said what I said, sugar, and I'm holdin' to it." Rae looked over at the flower she made blossom, a weed nearby dying as a result, but, by the end of it, the flower was vibrant. A trade, like all of her magic tended to be. "Was the closet glass? I can't even imagine you not bein' all loud and proud, you know." But then Sun-Hee got to the actual question, the actually answer. She genuinely couldn't imagine being the supreme. "I'm sure you'll do fine. All that formal stuff just sort of starts happenin' on its own time." Jagi watched Sun-Hee, head tilted to the side, before tucking himself behind Rae Elle's curls. Rae made a relatively similar gesture, her head slightly tilted. "In a learnin' capacity or a observin' capacity? I've been able to summon Jagi for about twenty years at this point. We're... pretty familiar," she joked.

[cantfightmoonlight]

"You're such a liar, but at least a pretty one to look at," Len rolled her eyes lightly. She had been teasing Rae enough over the years to know that the girl would hardly blush at a thing she said, just as she knew that despite her shameless flirtations, Rae would never bother to spare her the time of day. The other witch had always been too caught up in pining after those who wouldn't look twice at her to notice the one who'd been right beside her. And yet, Len kept flirting, not bothering to fixate too much on the growing resentment that festered in the pit of her stomach every time they played this game. "Yeah, that works. But if they don't want them, I'm taking these back. Capiche?"

[earthwindandraen]

"Well, that just ain't nice," Rae said, grinning. She didn't really take any offense to being called a liar, though. She drummed her fingers on the table and offered up a nod. "That sounds just fine. I'll let you know what they say as soon as possible, but if you get 'em back at least one'll be missing. I don't have any new Hex Pistols in my collection," she joked. "I'll even pay, but I get a friends and family discount, right?"

[zuvaxmoyoleroy]

"Even if I say so?" he asked with a cheeky grin. "Don't like the odds of that much." The grin dropped with grave seriousness as he placed a hand on his heart and staggered backwards, "Miss Rae, you are ruthless. I ain't cool enough? 'Bout to make a grown man cry you are. I'll remember this." Zuva blew out a sharp breath shaking his head, still faking betrayal. "Well, if not cool, then I guess, you gotta think I'm hot. I'll accept that."

Head bobbed from side to side, considering it again before he finally nodded, "Fine, fine, I won't. You're full of good ideas." He thought she was all sorts of good too but delving into that would take up far too much time, and likely be dismissed in some capacity too. "If they stop by again, that just means I was good business, baby," he teased. A beat later he shook his head, "Nah, if they do drop again not for records, they can deal with me personally. I ain't gonna let anyone bother you." There was a promise threaded through what he said that went beyond this situation.

"Badly," he started to explain again, giving her the low down of how it went and how unfairly he was being held accountable for good advice. "Shit," he ducked down a few seconds before he saw movement. "Hate to leave this to you, but you gotta admit it's a little funny. Show time," he grinned at Rae just as the door chimed. And mimed zipping his lips shut and throwing away the key.

[earthwindandraen]

"Especially if you say so," Rae said, grin widening. "Maybe I am a little ruthless. You can take it, though, can't you, baby? You're a big boy. You can handle it." He was such a flirt. Maybe they all were, bunch of kids growing up in a city that never took anything serious. New Orleans loved its people, and its people loved it, loved to party and flirt and dance and drink. He gave it good. She liked to think she gave it right back. "You need me to tell you you're pretty, Zuva? I know you gotta lotta people tellin' you you're pretty. We both know it."

Rae Elle snorted. "Uh huh." Some of her ideas were shit. Most of them amounted to nothing, though. She'd never been a big planner, decision maker. There wasn't a whole lot of ambition going on in Rae Elle Park. She didn't particularly mind it. "My hero. Bringin' trouble to my doorstep but promisin' to take care of it if it gets too bad," she joked.

"Showtime," Rae muttered, rolling her eyes one last time as she looked down at him before looking to the door. She painted on her best, lazy grin, leaning against the counter and putting her head in her hands. "Afternoon. What can I help y'all with today?"

[rohanxpersaudx]

Rohan hummed amusedly at that. "Someone should tell that to the coven." This came drolly, jokingly, with enough easy teasing to conceal any lingering bad feelings. He mimed a gesture of locking his mouth with an invisible key. "I just mean...I personally don't think dark magic is dark. I think it just is. Some people get icky about the distinction. That's all." He gave an innocent shrug of his shoulders. He had made a mistake, of course, a dire mistake that had caused harm. He regretted that. But he had also been left defenseless in the wake of the wolf attack. Rising above bitterness, deserved or not, was not always simple. He made a physical display of moving on, leaning forward to examine her tattoos. "It's very impressive ink. I'm thinking of getting one myself." He and Jonah had joked about it, at least. "Maybe a big 'MOM' heart." Rohan laughed.

"Student always overcomes teacher. Such is the way of the world," he hummed. "You can tell your boss the cards insist on one, actually." A hand hovered over the next card. Rohan flipped it. "The present. Justice. Facts first. Feelings second. The truth matters. Are you acting in a way that befits it, or are you being challenged to pivot?"

[earthwindandraen]

"I hear they're comin' under new management. Maybe that'll help things," Rae said easily. Despite the things she'd seen, the things she'd done, there was still a part of Rae Elle that tried to see the brighter side of life. Circumstances could change for the better just as easily as they changed for the worst. "I don't think it is, either. All magic can be used for good things. All magic can be used for bad things. It's all intention, purpose. One just comes from an outside source while the other comes from within." Magic had no understanding of good or evil, social constructs of moral lightness or darkness. It simply was. It was the job of the caster to decide what their magic would become and how they'd use it, light or dark. She grinned widely. "I'm thinkin' about gettin' more. Art's art, and skin's just another kind 'a canvas. I like feelin' pretty. If a big ol' MOM heart makes you feel pretty, I say go for it."

Rae laughed and shook her head. "That makes it sound positively academic. I don't know how much learnin' I'm gettin' done in a record store, but I appreciate the sentiment." Sagely, she added, "Fate calls for it." With Justice, though, she sat back, thinking. Facts first, feelings second. The truth. Once upon a time, Rae thought herself a form of justice, but that was feelings forward. Vengeance driven. "I think I've... settled, in the last few years. I'm tryin' to be... truth seekin'. Like magic, life's all... intention, purpose. Maybe I'm still lookin' for that."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

"Oh, I'm being very serious!" Sun-Hee insisted with a snicker before she finally ate her carrot. She mentally agreed with Rae Elle's thought that the trials were a little much, but she withheld her commentary for the punchline. "Nothing!" The witch began to laugh at her own joke before she even finished. "It can't hear you!"

[earthwindandraen]

Rae gave a snort before it shifted to a genuine laugh, shaking her head. "Ridiculous, cher. Absolutely ridiculous." Jagi appeared from where he'd been running off to, scurrying up Rae's arm and chittering quietly. Rae closed her eyes and leaned back, resting from eating. She cracked an eye open to look at Sun-Hee. "So, how are you feelin' about..." she sort of waved a hand about and causing a flower that had been stomped on at some point to slowly perk up. "All that."

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Well, it was a good thing. I was primarily coming in here to flirt with you. But, noted on the whole salary-based thing and hm, how's 50% of retail price sound?" She proposed, being willing to settle for a whole lot less, but figured she might as well try for a fair deal given that it was their album they'd gone through all of the work in creating and, after their show at the upcoming town's event, would likely be building up far more of their own cult-like following.

[earthwindandraen]

"Aw, shucks, sugar, you're gonna make a gal blush," Rae teased. It was just the way they talked to each other, she'd always felt. It was real flattering, but Rae Elle knew Lennon wasn't serious. No more than she thought Zuva was serious or any of her other friends that she flirted with were serious. It was just all good fun. "I think I can make that work. Give me a day or two to talk it over with the boss, but leave 'em here so they can take a listen, and that should work right as rain. Sound good?"

[rohanxpersaudx]

Rohan laughed. "Ah, you know...it doesn't. My history with magic is a continuous reminder that some of us have no idea what we're doing. Not really." Rohan said this lightly, flashing a smile that revealed, at least, acceptance if nothing else of his series of pitfalls and cautionary tales. "There's something about a burning candle and a flickering light, though, don't you find? I think that since the dawn of ourselves, we've been able to pull magic through all its conduits." He hummed. "It's all ritual, don't you find?"

Taking the cards back into his hands, Rohan placed them neatly on the table before dealing three face down. A hand hovered over the first. "Where you've been." He flipped it. "The Eight of Pentacles. Dedication. Focus. Motivation. Trying. Grinding. Honing skills. It's a card of...apprenticeship. The craftsman at his perch." He placed a finger on the image. "It promises fruits for your efforts."

[earthwindandraen]

"What do they call it? Failing upwards? I think that's sometimes just how magic works," Rae Elle said. She hummed in agreement. She liked the ritual, the performance, the gestures and materials and circumstance that came with magic. The craft of witchcraft. Even if it was just conduits, channels for which their magic went through, it was all beautiful. "I'm a big fan of all of it. The ritual. It's familiar. Maybe I just like the patterns." She showed off one of her tattoo sleeves, sacred geometry mixed in with the other images.

Rae offered a slow, easy smile, leaning back in the chair. "Think I'll be promoted from clerk to assistant manager?" she asked. "I feel like I've been working at Off Record long enough for a little raise." Calling it effort was a bit of a stretch, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. What Rae liked most about tarot, especially the kind that wasn't laced with magic, was that it was so open for interpretation.

[zuvaxmoyoleroy]

"Well, my opinion is right," he shrugged, shooting her another smile. Opening notes drew a small hum of approval from him as attention drifted between Rae and the music. "Mm, fun and dreamy, huh? You ain't also describin' me, are you? Sounds suspiciously like it."

At her suggestion, he laughed outright. "Those poor souls don't need the real kind." Still, he considered it for a second longer than he probably should have. "...Though I ain't sayin' I won't remember that. Might come in handy next time somebody decides their bad judgement is somehow my fault."

His brows rose at her warning. "Be real quiet, she says." He shook his head. "Don't you worry about a thing, baby. Do I strike you as somebody who'd disturb anyone's business? Establishment or otherwise." Of course, that didn't need an answer. "You should probably get your excuses ready if they do come in askin', though. An' if you tell 'em you've never seen me a day in your life, I'mma be a little hurt." Chuckling to himself, he slipped behind the counter, ducking just out of sight of the front windows. For all his complaints, he settled in easily enough. "Don't worry," he added. "I'll be on my best behaviour."

[earthwindandraen]

"Your opinion is an opinion, baby. That don't have a thing to do with right or wrong." Rae Elle scrunched up her nose, fighting off a smile. "Now, I know that ain't right. I don't know if you're cool enough to be described in the same way as I Monster," she teased.

"Well that's why you don't give it to them," Rae said. But he didn't need to be told that. Zuva was prodigious with magic, always one of the best, even if he liked to come off as lazy and like a bit of a scoundrel. "I'm glad to provide a good idea every now and then."

Rae just shook her head, laughing. "I ain't gonna answer something we both already know," she told him. "Fine, fine. I'll say I ain't seen you today, but you know if they think you come around here a lot that they're just gonna stop by again. I think you're settin' me up to get hounded by an angry couple for the foreseeable future. Ex-couple? How'd that tattoo appointment go again?" Rae rolled her eyes. "Best behavior. Uh huh. I'll believe it when I see it."

[gazingatmestarry-eyed]

closed || @earthwindandraen & Sun-Hee

It was a much needed break from her obsessive practice schedule. She wanted to be prepared, and she would be, but it was also important to rest. Sun-Hee knew real power required the mental and physical fuel to do it, so she allowed herself breaks, however rare, to eat well and stretch out. In the company of a friend was always preferred, especially because all of hers were pretty. "What do you call a fox with carrots in its ears?" The question came as Sun-Hee picked up a piece of carrot to eat.

[earthwindandraen]

"Is this a joke or a genuine question?" Rae asked, smiling as she took a bite herself. With one supreme down, most of the coven witches in town were gearing up towards some sort of trial to decide who'd be the next one. It all seemed a little much, in Rae Elle's mind. She had no desire to compete for a title like that, no desire to have that many folks looking to her as some sort of role model. More power to the ones going through it, though. It sounded like hell. "I don't know. What do you call a fox with carrots in its ears?"

[rohanxpersaudx]

"Well...as it were, some werewolves were once dark witches. And I suppose that does help in a way." Rohan said this with a smile, and while the topic had once been one which rattled him to his very core, he had, by now, settled into acceptance. "I know what you mean, though. I daresay even human can tap into things they don't quite understand from time to time. Stay away from Ouija Boards."

"Sometimes the cards reveal both query and response. And three cards sounds just right to me. Would you care to cut the deck?" He extended a hand to gesture across the table before them.

[earthwindandraen]

"Well, that means you know what you're doin'," Rae said, smiling back. Her smile turned a little lopsided. "Can't they, though? Don't worry. I'm real safe when I fool around. Don't really need a spirit board or nothin', though I guess it adds to the experience, huh?" All she really needed was to siphon a bit of magic and look through the veil, call to someone, make sure she said goodbye. It was just good manners.

There was no intention in Rae Elle's actions as she cut the deck, shuffling the cards before handing them back to Rohan. "Past, present, future. Where you've been, where you're at, where you're goin'. You can lay out my whole thread of fate if you're feelin' like it," she joked.

[thxprophecy]

josie let out a quiet laugh at that, though it lacked any real amusement behind it. her gaze drifted back toward the lighthouse for a moment, watching the slow sweep of light across the water. "yeah. i think one is enough. any more than that and it'd probably drive everybody insane."

her shoulders lifted slightly in a half shrug before falling again. tired. heavy. she looked like somebody carrying far more than she knew what to do with. "i actually just reconnected with my brother," she admitted after a second, voice quieter now. uncertain. "or... something like that." the words tasted strange in her mouth, not even close to enough to explain what had happened. "it's not exactly going well."

josie pressed her lips together briefly, eyes dropping toward the ground. "and the friend i came here with kind of just... left me here." abandoned felt too dramatic. too honest. but it sat in her chest all the same. "so i guess right now i'm not really leaning on anybody."

[earthwindandraen]

"Be a bit too much light, no?" Rae Elle asked. "Like daylight at midnight." She offered a small frown. "I'm sorry to hear that, that it's not going well," she murmured. "You two close? If it's been awhile since you've seen him, maybe there's... growin' pains." She didn't know how long it was, but "reconnected" felt like it'd maybe been awhile. It can always be a little awkward reconnecting after a long time. Pieces that used to fit don't work the same way, and there's the fact that people change. Even family.

Rae let out a low whistle. "Damn, girl. That ain't right. They just left you? You gotta number to chew 'em out over?" she asked. "That's just rude, cher. Nobody deserves to be left high and dry in a strange place." Especially Lunar Cove. Especially if they're not aware.

[cantfightmoonlight]

@earthwindandraen

"Here," Lennon wandered up to the counter, pulling out the stack of vinyls she had brought with her, and placed them down on the table. "It's our EP, and if you love me, you'll put it on the shelves. And when it sells, which it will, you give the Hex Pistols a cut of commission, what do you say? Wanna help a girl out?"

[earthwindandraen]

Rae Elle pretended to think it over, already knowing what her answer was going to be. "Hmm. I don't know... You know I don't get paid by how much I sell, right? I'm on salary, sugar. Usually the big boss buys records at wholesale then sells 'em at retail prices. How much you askin' for a record?"