(no subject)

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

For Christmas, Ajedrez got a book. She thought it was 'Shadow of the Wind'.

Today, it is something else quite, quite different.

Thus, she is eyeing the book. Warily, cautiously, and very curiously.

And, yes, she is wearing glasses.

Comments

[amazongeneral.livejournal.com]

Philippus was fetching her tea placidly when she saw the wariness and general uncertainty. The cover gets a quick once-over. "Everything all right?"

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"Do books...normally...change?" She asks, slowly.

[amazongeneral.livejournal.com]

"Well, normal ones don't. Magic ones do. Did you have a hard time looking away from it, or feel a pull of any sort?" Philippus glances at the cover again.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"Um, no. It just...changed."

[amazongeneral.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's not necessarily a bad sign, then," Philippus says, cheering a little. "Who's it from?"

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure, actually."

[amazongeneral.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Not such a good sign. "Well, can you give me a little more information on what happened? I'm not an expert on innocuous magical books, of course, so I don't have much to say about it now. I usually hear about the ones that cause trouble."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"It just appeared, on Christmas day."

[amazongeneral.livejournal.com]

"That's time enough that anything bad that could have happened probably should have, or we'd have heard something. You might get it checked by someone who knows such things. If it's not trying to pull you into an alternate dimension, entrance you, or get you to read it aloud, it doesn't seem an immediate risk.

"What kind of book was it before?"

[not-one-drop.livejournal.com]

Mal was playing with her new vibroblade from Shalla, experimenting with it and generally just doing nothing.

Was.

But now she's spotted Ajedrez, and is seriously considering giving the vibroblade the ultimate test.

Stupid woman.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Ajedrez...hasn't noticed. At least not that moment.

She will.

[not-one-drop.livejournal.com]

She probably will.

Especially when the vibroblade thunks into the table leg.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Yep, that'd do it.

Her eyes flare open and she drops the book. And maybe she should reach for her gun, any of them, or her knife, any of them, but she doesn't.

She just looks up.

[not-one-drop.livejournal.com]

Mal smiles.

It's not very nice.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Slowly, Ajedrez takes her glasses off and puts them back in their case.

She isn't smiling, but neither is she so very wide-eyed anymore.

"Nina." Little girl

[not-one-drop.livejournal.com]

Mal gives her a courteous nod.

"It's Maladicta, actually."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"And I am...well. I go by Ajedrez here, but if we are being formal then it is Beatriz Barillo Trejo."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Nice specs."

Goldy helps herself to a vacant seat and drops into it indelicately. There's a slightly wild edge to her grin and her cheeks have a ruddy glow. She looks invigorated. The reason for this might be provided by the ski hat, the snazzy-looking goggles clamped above her brow, and the rather chic set of black and gold salapets that she's sporting.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Ajedrez smiles up at her.

"Why, thank you. And you look like you've been having fun."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

She tugs off her chunky gloves and lets them drop to the table.

"Absolutely. Those new mountains are a definite boon to this place."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, are they up yet?"

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"You don't get out much, huh?" Goldy says, and chuckles.

"They've been up since before Christmas."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"I'll have you know that I've even been to Florence."

Beat.

"And, besides, it's Scotland outside."

[3rdtimelucky.livejournal.com]

"Excuses, excuses."

She's still grinning like a fool as she pulls off the goggles and removes the uncharacteristic head covering. Her luxuriant locks tumble out and settle about her shoulders in a tousled mess. That takes the smile off her face.

"Gah. Fuck."

This is why she very rarely wears headgear, of any variety.

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Sagely,

"And that, chica, is why you tie your hair back."