7379/Sister Shopping!

Sister Shopping!
Date of Scene:	15 August 2021
Location:	Chelsea Market
Synopsis:	Lydia takes Clarice to go shopping for her newly found sister. Hank and Mystique joins them for a bit of banter and a bit of philosophy, and a lot of chocolate was bought.
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Lydia Dietrich, Henry McCoy, Raven Darkholme

---

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Standing in front of the tall, brick building, Clarice looks up at it - then over to her companion Lydia. "You shop here often?" she asks curiously, before the pair start to move inside. Inside the building is an assault to the senses - between the various purveyors of food, and a few places offering scented body products, as well as a flower market, Clarice looks around with curiosity, before coming to a stop in front of a directory, reading slowly and laboriously.
    One word does jump out at her pretty quickly. "Chocolate! She might like chocolate. Is that something you buy for a long lost sister to celebrate moving in together?" she asks uncertainly. She's honestly not even certain this is the sort of thing you're supposed to buy a gift to celebrate. She just knows she wants to give her sister //something//. "What do you think?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Some," Lydia answers. "It's good to come here from time to time as a treat. It's got all sorts of things in it that you normally wouldn't find at your typical mall." She's dressed today in one of her sun dresses, toting around an oversized bag over her shoulder and a wide brimmed floppy hat. She didn't have to worry about flying here when Clarice can just blink them down right in front of the store.

"I don't know," Lydia answers honestly. "I've never had a sister so I wouldn't know what to get her." She looks thoughtful as she slowly walks along taking in the scents and sights. "Chocolates seems more like something you'd get a lover than a sister." She scowls as she thinks of something. "I wouldn't give Rahne chocolates without checking in with her first. I know dogs are allergic to it and can get really sick off of it. I don't know if that'll apply to wolves or Rahne."

She looks through the window of one of the shops. "Maybe matching jewelry? When I was in middle school me and my best friend got matching bracelets to celebrate our friendship. Maybe that kind of thing will work for sisters?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I think she can eat chocolate," Clarice replies with a furrow in her brows. "I mean - just because her mutation lets her turn into a wolf doesn't mean she isn't a //person//, right?" Not being able to eat chocolate just sounds awful to her! "I suppose I could ask her, though." There was just a hint of embarrassent at the suggestion that Rahne was her 'lover.' But- well. It was more or less the truth, wasn't it? Even if she and Rahne still hadn't voice any terminology.
    She stops at the window of the jewelry store - looking in with Lydia at all of the jewelry, a thoughtful expression on her features. "That's not a bad idea," she muses. "Maybe... silver with green stones? Does she like green?" She has no idea - and she knows Lydia won't either. "She's excited that we both have green eyes. Or I could just do clear stones... What kind of bracelets did you and your friend get?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia shrugs at Clarice. "You never know with mutants, though," she says. She puts her fists on her hips and fully faces Clarice. "I didn't say she wasn't a /person/," she scowls. "Just that maybe some of that wolf biology bleeds over into her when she's human."

She finds that they've stopped at a jewelry store and turns to look through the window. "We got friendship bracelets. Not actually jewelry though, I guess. They're woven bracelets and its something we figured out how to do together and wore them until we drifted apart in high school."

"But I think green would be good, especially if she got excited about the green eyes," she says. "That way it'll always match no matter what you wear."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I- you know I don't think you think //that//!" Clarice protests immediately. "You're not like //that//. Geeze." She lets out a heavy sigh - her gaze still on the window display.
    "...how do you weave bracelets?" she muses thoughtfully. "I don't know how to make anything like that. But we could always ask if they have a pair of matching silver and green bracelets. If they don't- well. I guess we could keep looking. Or- we could keep looking and always come back later?" she muses in a thoughtful voice.
    "I'll just buy one of everything. You can't give too many presents, right?" It's a little hard to tell if Clarice is joking or not when she suggests this. ...oh dear.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's expression softens at the rebuke. "I know. It's just the way you said it." She turns back to the store and gently encourages Clarice to go in so they can actually shop and see if any jewelry stands out to her.

"You take some embroidery thread, and you make intricate braids with them," Lydia explains. "I can teach you how to make them, if you like. I'd need to look at patterns online so I can remember how to do it, though."

Then something catches her eye. It's a silver bracelet that has a single green catseye gem in the middle. "Ooh!" she exclaims, "How about that? It even looks like an eye!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice is looking at some of the jewelry - moving slowly through the displays. She's stopped with her hand on the counter above the display of a cross finely engraved with a leafy design - it's possible her thoughts have shifted to Rahne for the moment, that is until Lydia summons her attention.
    "Oh!" she remarks - moving over to study the bracelet, and try it on against her skin tone. If they're both going to wear it, after all, it has to look decent on her. It'll be easier managing Cynthia's dark brown skin tone. "What do you think?" she asks, moving it this away and that so the stones can shift their colors in the light.
    "It is very pretty..."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's eyes flit to the cross that Clarice is eyeing. "You can get that for her," she suggests. They both know that the 'her' in question is Rahne. "Sometimes you don't need a reason to give somebody a present from the heart. You just /do/."

She takes a step back when Clarice tries on the bracelet. "Hm. I think it looks good! We should keep that in mind. Let's see what else they've got here before we commit."

Her eyes roam the display cases, and a small frown touches the edge of her lips. "Now that I'm here, I kind of want to get something for Raven. But how do you shop for somebody who can make any jewelry she wants?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "But do they have two of it?" Clarice asks - turning to the salewoman. "Do you have two of it?"
    She disappears into the back to check - while Clarice sets the bracelet back into the tray, and turns to study the cross again.
    "Do you think she'd like it?" she muses quietly. "I mean- well. We both know she likes- that her religion's important to her. But she already has one she wears. But I just though- what with the leaves, and her suggesting we replant the forests in Scotland and all - maybe... She might like it. Don't you think?"
    As for Raven, she frowns with a thoughtful expression. "That's tricky, isn't it? It'd say nothing too... austentatious. But, other than that..."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I think she'd love it," Lydia says, looking at the necklace again. Her eyes drift up when Clarice explains her reasoning and she gives a little "Oooh" of appreciation. "That's really thoughtful," she says. "She'd definitely love it."

As they wait to see if they have a matching bracelet, Lydia browses the wares. She stops when she sees a necklace and then starts chuckling, which soon turns into good belly laughter. "Okay. I'm getting this." She pulls out a necklace that has a heart shaped locket with the words, 'I love you to the moon and back.' "We don't /quite/ live on the moon," she says, "But it's close."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "The forests in Scotland?" the second woman in the shop asks. "Well - there's also this one, which is supposed to mimic a celtic design - which comes from Scotland and Ireland." She pulls out a second necklace to show to Clarice - whose eyes immediately light up. "The design's from Scotland? Than she'll love it! Right?" she asks - looking towards Lydia for confirmation, before getting the woman behind the counter an eager nod.
    The other employee has emerged with a second bracelet with the green cats eye stones - and soon Clarice's orders are being packaged for her in beautiful display boxes, while Clarice comes over to study the piece Lydia found.
    "I could always take you //to// the moon," she says with amusement. "But we should let the Justice League know we're coming first," she teases.

Henry McCoy has posed:
There were so many shops here! Henry had made an evening of it, collecting up everything from posh cheeses, proper meats to cigars. He had several small bags dangling from one hand, as he continued through the shopping center. Stepping past a certain storefront, he paused at hearing a familiar voice. Peering into the jewelers, he grins.

A nod to the attendant as he steps in, he offers a wave to Clarice and Lydia. "Evening. How are you two ladies?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods encouragingly in confirmation. "She'd love it." She watches as Clarice gets her choices boxed up, as she gets the heart shaped locket for herself. "Now I just need to find a picture of me to put in it."

The offer to take her to the moon catches her off guard. "You can do that?" she asks. Of course! The Justice League. "I think I'd kind of like that, actually. I've never been on the moon before." She chuckles and shakes her head, "How many people are there where that's an option?"

"Oh! Hello, Henry!" Lydia says. She's only met the good doctor a couple of times so she's still on formal grounds with him. "We're just doing some jewelry shopping for our loved ones. Looks like you've been busy."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Don't know how much of an option it is. I mean - well. We may have made friends with them lately, though, so- maybe?"
    As she hears Hank's voice, she turns abruptly - her features lighting up with a broad smile. "Hank!" she calls excitedly. She then does something that's more apt of Dyani - she practically bounces over to him, grabbing hold of his arm as she exclaims, "You are never going to guess what has happened!" she tells him eagerly.
    Probably about the time he's starting to think she might be //on something//, she releases her grip on his arm to pull out her phone, and unlock it - quickly thumbing to her photos. It isn't hard to find her most recent photo - a selfie of herself, a teenage girl in the Asteroid's garden, Genosha visible behind them. The teenage girl has dark, African skin tones, braided hair in black and purple - and the same unnaturally electric green eyes as Clarice.

Henry McCoy has posed:
The smile from Henry is genuine, waving again to Lydia. "How are you Lydia? Yes, just getting some delicacies for a fine evening of self-pampering." He asks, stepping closer to the pair as they start conversing. "Presents?" A look from Lydia to Clarice - and then Clarice is grabbing his arm. Highly unusual. Still, her energy is infectious - Henry's grin widening.

As she flips through the phone photos, he blinks. "Who ... she has your eyes?" He looks from the photos to Clarice.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia grins at Hank, but doesn't want to spoil the surprise. Well, maybe she'll spoil it a little. "Yes, the same eyes. And that means...." she prompts nudging the leonine mutant urging him to take a guess.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yes, she's moving onto the Asteroid with me. From Genosha," Clarice supplies - her smiles still infectously large. "Lydia and I were just here looking for gifts for her. To welcome her. Her name's Cynthia." She goes from beaming up at Hank, to smiling down at the image in her hands, before offering it over so he can inspect it better.

Henry McCoy has posed:
He does take the phone, looking over the features of the other girl. "Genetically, by her build and features - a sibling. You found your sister?" He looks to Clarice, then Lydia. "That is wonderful news!" Henry beams, offering the phone back to Clarice. "She's moving to the asteroid? Does she need to worry about a commute for work?" He half-teases.

"So, presents for family or..." A look to both now, chuckling. "Or none of my business?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia beams when Hank gets it. "Yes! Clarice was wanting to get something for her, and I suggested some jewelry. We found some matching bracelets that has catseyes that match their eyes." She grins over to Clarice, "AND she got something for Rahne. And I found something to give to Mystique. It's corny as hell, but I think she'll appreciate it." Nothing quite like jewelry to make a girl happy.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "She's still going to school. She has to finish school - it's important," Clarice insists firmly, letting Hank study the image for as long as he likes before she puts her phone away again. "I didn't even know she existed - until recently. And then, I assumed she'd been killed, but Mystique found her. And she- Cynthia and my parents thought I was dead all this time, so... It was a surprise for both of us. A good surprise."
    With everything packaged up, one of the clerks clears her throat politely, prompting Clarice to hand over her credit card to pay for her items. Then looking to Lydia she adds, "Maybe we should still see what else they have her? I mean- I don't know. Who knows what we'll find?"

Henry McCoy has posed:
The man's eyebrow arches. "Mystique and Rahne?" A sly grin from Henry as Lydia explains some of the recipients of the gifts. "I am sure they will enjoy the jewelry, very much." A smile to each. "And school is very important, Clarice. If she ever needs help with science..." He chuckles.

A look to the surrounding shops. "Lots of wonderful places to get ingredients for excellent meals. It's what I stopped by for." A nod.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Or she can come to me if she needs help with English," Lydia adds. "Or if she wants to learn Polish or Hebrew. I speak those too." She grins over at Clarice, sharing in her joy. "It was such a happy surprise. Mystique had been working on this for a while now. She was determined to find /somebody/ for Clarice."

She nods to Clarice. "Yes. Let's keep on looking. I may want to grab something for myself. It's been a while since I bought any jewelry." She turns and starts wandering down the aisle, and gets to the earring section. She pauses and considers the selection for a bit when simple small gold hoops catches her eye. She gets a wicked grin and grabs a pair and walks over to Hank. "Hmmm," she says aloud, holding up the earring to his ear. "Hmmmmm." she says a little more pointedly. "I think we should pierce your ears."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "She didn't tell me she was looking," Clarice admits - still grinning broadly. "So it was a very big, very good surprise." As Lydia starts to wander through the jewelry stall once more - she lets out a quiet laugh before adding, "I didn't mean for more jewelry! There's... Well there was the chocolate place, for certain. Umm..." She looks to Hank. "What else do they sell here? You were shopping for food?" She gets a thoughtful look on her features.
    "I'm not sure we're shopping for food... Except for maybe chocolate."

Henry McCoy has posed:
A nod to Clarice. "I got a few nice steaks, some other seasonings and some fine cheese." Foodie! Henry holds still as earings are held near his ears, the man chuckling. "I don't know how well piercings would do - I tend to heal quickly. Perhaps it would heal over the studs?" He wonders, tapping his chin with his free hand. "And quite nice of Raven to find her for you - that is a very good friend indeed."

A wider grin. "They do have a very good chocolatier here too." He admits.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique loves big open markets where there were lots of people. Entering into them she always felt safe, because at any time she could be anyone and just disappear if needed. That was the goal for today however, today she was catching up to the shopping group after finishing some 'business' she couldn't go into details about.

A beautiful dark skinned African woman walks up to Lydia, most likely spotted before she gets there, wraps her arms around her, dips and kisses her, then stands the glowing mutant up even as her own skin changes and returns to the usual cobalt. The outfit she is wearing stays the same, a pair of denim shorts, a pale blue tank top, and sandals; indication they are actual clothing and not a part of her.

"Hello everyone," she then offers.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Oh!" Lydia squeaks in surprise at the sudden dipsmooch. "Hello, love," she says, caressing her lover's face fondly, before returning the earrings and coming back to the group. "Chocolate! Yes!" She turns an looks up at Raven, "What kind of chocolates do you like? Or should I just get a huge sampler and watch which ones go first?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Family," Clarice corrects Hank. "Raven is family. And Mister Creed, and Dyani... and now Cynthia. I have a family." Which - aside from Mister Creed, is a new and shocking revelation to her.
    Of course, she's saying this right as 'Aya' appears, and she turns to regard the pair with an amused roll of her eyes. "Do you think we can run off before they notice?" she asks Hank - utterly ruining any chance they'd have of achieving that feat.
    Granted, there was never much of a chance anyways, and she knew that.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Well, that was not expected. Henry averts his eyes, blinking at the public display. His foot scuffs on the floor, the man shrugging as he looks to Clarice. "Family. It is quite the find and realization, once you've made it." A warm smile to the purple woman. "I don't think we're going to be able to make a break for it, Clarice."

Once the kiss is assuredly done, he glances back over. "Hey there Raven. How are you doing?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Slipping her arm around Lydia's waist, Mystique offers first to Lydia, no hestiation at all, "Schogetten Dark Chocolate, or any dark chocolate when you can't get that. German chocolate is my favorite over all."

Then she looks to Henry and Clarice, "I'm doing decent, Henry... how about yourself? You both could still technically make a run for it, I can be very distracting, I'd just need to borrow that table and Lydia, trust me no one would be watching you run away."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Oooh!" Lydia says delighted. "A woman after my own heart." She makes a mental note of the name of the dark chocolate and promises herself to hunt it down sometime. "You can't escape us," she tells the other two mutants. "We're too crafty."

At Raven's suggestive distraction Lydia blushes all the way up to her ears. "I, um." she clears her throat. "Ahem. Yes. I suppose you could do that."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice simply rolls her eyes. "I want to see the other shops," Clarice remarks - signing for her purchases, and taking the bag they were now packaged in. She also tucks her credit card back into place. "And definitely get some chocolates. You guys can come, or Hank and I will make our own fun."
    She turns to make her way back out of the shop - calling over her shoulder, "Lyyyydia. They have a boooook store!"
    That's all it takes to coax the author back out. Doesn't it?

Henry McCoy has posed:
Holding his bags, he grins. "I've got everything I need for a nice dinner. Treating myself, Raven. The kitchen in the school is well-stocked, but it isn't the same as what I got here." Henry offers a chuckle. He's not touching that suggestion about the table. "I got a couple of cigars and pipe tobacco too."

"I've seen the bookstore - it is very nice." He adds, looking to Lydia and Raven. "Assuming you two aren't going to be causing a commotion in a jewelry shop." He teases.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique hadn't missed that Hank looked away when she kissed Lydia. Internally she was grinning ear to ear over this knowledge, while on her face was a simple smile. New information was always something she enjoyed.

"Oh no, we're shopping first, what happens later is between Lydia, the video camera and myself." She wiggles her brows at Lydia, she might be serious, she might be joking, who knows.

"I'm all for the bookstore, or anywhere else you all wish to visit. I'm here to carry Lydia's bags, make inappropriate suggestions, then buy you all lunch at an open air cafe as an apology for all the suggestions."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia perks up at the mention of a bookstore. "Bookstore?" she says, having paid for her own purchase at the jewelry shop. "Let's go!" If anything can tear her away from her lover, it would be a bookstore. Her brain, however, screeches to a halt. "Video camera?" That blush of hers just intensified a magnitude of order.

"You don't have to carry my bags," She tells Raven. "In fact I could probably carry everybody's without any problem. Just..." she lets go of her bag, and her ectoplasmic mists surround it holding it suspended in the air, causing a few onlookers to stare. "See? Easy peasy."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "This is what it's always like with them. Do you see what I have to put up with?" Clarice directs towards Hank as she - strangely enough - leads the charge into a //book store,// clutching tightly to the bag holding her purchases.
     It isn't that she doesn't trust Lydia carry them. It's that she very much //wants// to carry them.
    Once in the book store - she picks up a few 'books' - flipping through them only to realize, "Oh! These are journals!" Then that wasn't a title on the cover? Flipping back to the frong she slowly and laboriously reads, "Cupcakes are muf- muffins that be... believe in meh- meh... rah...cles. Mehrahcles?" It says 'miracles.' Give her a break, it's a hard word...

Henry McCoy has posed:
There's a bit of a chuckle from Henry at the itinerary as set by Raven. "Perhaps another time? I need to get my treats home to the fridge, so I can pamper myself tonight." He beams. Nope, not even going to touch on the video camera comment. Nope nope nope. A grin to Lydia as she manages her parcels, nodding with a chuckle. "I suppose that is one way of handling them."

A look of apology to Clarice, as he mentions a raincheck on the bookstore. A smile as she reads over the title - the man not rushing or judging, simply nodding once she's done. "Cute saying. Very eloquent." A wink. "But I need to get back. Perhaps I will join you ladies on another outting later?" And he avoids getting his ears pierced!

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Moving along with the group, arm still around Lydia she makes the comment to the glowing mutant, "But if I can't carry your bags, then I have no purpose of being here. How can I look dejected while holding your backs if I'm not holding your bags?" A grin plays across her face, clearly she's talking about the stereotypical guy and gal shopping trip where the guy really doesn't want to be there, but he holds the bags while the gal shops like a mad woman.

"Oh, did I say something about a video camera?" Now she plays innocent, and honestly the expression on her face is completely and totally convincing, not a single indication of anything else. She manages to hold that expression for a good minute before she laughs and wiggles her brows, "You'll have to ask me again later."

Looking over to to Hank she offers a nod, "Be safe getting home, and enjoy your treat. I still owe you a dinner, so call me."

Once in the bookstore, her eyes gaze around at the choices from her location by Lydia, but they land on Clarice when she reads the cover. "That..." a slight shudder. "Was sickeningly sweet."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I'll have you know," Lydia says all prim and proper, "That it's all Raven's fault." A pause. "Well /mostly/ Raven's fault," she amends.

But back to the bookstore. Lydia follows Clarice's lead, wiggling out of Raven's embrace and grabbing her hand and dragging her along with her. When Clarice has problems with the word, Lydia goes into Full Teacher mode and helps Clarice sound out the word. (Forgive me but the player is NOT an English teacher and so anything she'd write out would come off as condescending and Lydia is very much NOT condescending.) She chuckles at Raven and winks, "So to speak."

She does, however go through their selection of journals herself. You can never have too many of these things. She's got an entire shelf at home filled with blank journals, two shelves of ones that are filled, and is working on the shelf at the Asteroid. She finds one that's leather bound that has Yggdrasil embossed into the cover. She holds it in her hands, and runs her fingers across the embossment thoughtfully. "If only they had one with the Sefirot. I could use that for my mystical studies." She sighs and puts the journal back.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Ohhhhh, //miracles//!" Clarice exclaimins, finally getting the quote. She beams at her friends, continuing to study some of the journals, and reading over some of the quotes to herself. "If at first you don't suc- ...succeed, sky... skydiving is not for you." That one gets a giggle from her her, but she sets it back.
    A neighboring display catches her attetion, and she picks another 'book' up, reading the cover. "I smile because you're my sister," well, it's obvious enough what caught her eye there. "I laugh because you can't do anything about it." That gets another quiet laugh, and she flips it open, only to blink in surprise. "Oh. It's an album."
    After a momentary pause this is followed by exciteent.
    "Oh! It's an //album//! Look!" She eagerly shows it to Lydia and Mystique.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique perhaps her hand to be taken, instead of holding onto Lydia, allowing her girlfriend more movement to shop. After a moment she lets go of that hand as well, as both hands are needed to open a book. Her own hands tuck into the pockets of her shorts, honestly there isn't anything she needs to look at here.

It's at that moment a wicked little thought goes running through her head. Pausing at Clarice gets excited, she look over to see what she has and smiles, "Oh man, that's actually really cool Clarice." She takes a moment look over the album, actually a handy little thing for someone to collects pictures, but then her wickedness returns and she disappears toward the back of the store.

She's only gone for a moment, perhaps two, then she returns carrying two books. One is the Anarchy Cookbook the other is the Kama Sutra.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia beams proudly when Clarice finally manages to sound out the word. "There you go," she says encouragingly. Frankly, she's just amazed that Clarice would be so open about her illiteracy out in public. Really it isn't anything to be ashamed of and if anybody gave Clarice a hard time about it she would give them a very stern talking to.

Clarice's excitement has her crowding the purple mutant, seeing what she's got in her hands. "Oh that would be /perfect/ for you and Cynthia, to record new memories in. I'm sure that we've got a printer on the
Asteroid that can print out pictures for you to put in there."

Her eyes glance over to what Mystique is holding and she rolls her eyes. "Really? The Kama Sutra? With all your years you could probably write /two/ of those."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice looks from Mystique, to Lydia - beaming as Lydia gets it, "I can- I'll start with the photo from the garden. Print it up and put that in the front. And I wrap this up and- I give her //this// for when we move into the new quarters. Yeah?" She looks up to Lydia, and after Mystique's retreating form, and then to Lydia again. "That would be a good gift, right?"
    She //knows// she doesn't understand the sentimentality people have about //stuff// - she knows she's not very good at buying gifts. But this... This had to be right, didn't it? "Do you think the quote is alright? 'I smile because you're my sister. I laugh because you can't do anything about it.'"
    The books that Mystique returns with means nothing to her - and she wrinkles her brow in puzzlement. "What's it about? Infiltration?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique smirks slightly at Lydia, but she looks to Clarice first. Holding up the Anarchy Cookbook she says, "This is about how to make bombs... no actually it's a survivalist guide." She holds up the Kama Sutra now and says, "And this is numerous sexual positions that are proven to be entertaining."

Now she looks to Lydia, "And I intend to make sure I don't copy of of them in the book we make together." Brows waggle before she looks back to Clarice.

"That's the perfect gift for your sister. You already know she keeps photo albums, and the quote... made me laugh."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Clarice," Lydia says calmly. "It is the /perfect/ gift. For you both. It's something you can share with her and keep as a reminder of your times together." She gives the woman a gentle smile, "I think she'll like the quote."

Lydia giggles at the brow waggle and her cheeks flush red. One would think that she would have gotten used to it by now, but nope. "I take it you're buying those for me?" she asks.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "...ah," Clarice responds to Mystique's explinations of her discoveries. "Well. Since you both agree it's a good idea..." She reaches over to grab a packet of additional pages for the album - then makes a break for the register to make her purchase where she can be heard telling the slightly bemused cashier, "My sister is alive."
    Once the album is safely purchased, she hugs it tightly to her chest.
    Things are marked up an a little extra-expensive in this shop - hell, in most of the shops in the building. But Clarice did not care one bit.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique walks to the register and sets the books on the counter. The guy behind the register looks at her, recognizes her, and then looks at her purchases while he's ringing them up. His face is a perfection of horror and customer service smile, exactly what she had been going for.

"The Kama Sutra is for you," she offers Lydia with a grin. "The Cookbook is because you never know when I'm going to try to take over the world again, and the information in it could be very helpful." Even as she is saying this part, she is looking back to the clerk. He is not amused, in fact he looks like someone just pulled a gun on him, but he slides the books into the bag and offers her back her credit card. "Thank you," she chimes extremely cheerfully, then heads back over to the pair.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia grins, and snakes her arm around Mystique's waist as Clarice goes up to the cashier and burbles happily to her. "She's adorable when she's like this," she says softly. "We need to see more of this Clarice."

She follows Mystique up to the counter as she buys the books. She remains silent during the exchange, but gives the poor cashier an apologetic smile as they walk away. "God, Mystique," she breathes once they're far enough away. "The look on his face said that he expected you to leap up on the counter and start shooting every human in sight any time." She laughs and shakes her head. "But you'd never think so /small/." There's a part of her that's horrified that she's /joking/ about this, but really. If you can't find humor in these dark situations then you might as well curl up and die.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Boss!" Clarice protests at the way Mystique talks to the cashier, letting out a laugh. "She's joking," she infors the employee, rolling her eyes, and grinning at her friends as they rejoin her. Towards Lydia she adds, "If you see a book you think I'd like then- well. I'll //try// to read it," she remarks. "I just... I don't really know how to pick them out then. That Alice book Rahne told me about was strange - but very interesting.
    "Digging for apples... What nonsense."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
As Clarice declares her joking, and Lydia slips her arm around Mystique's waist again, the mischievous blue mutant glances back to the cashier and wiggles her brows, but says nothing more to him. Her work here is done. He will now have a great story to tell his friends and family while they all dig a bomb shelter.

"Jim Butcher, the Dresdon books. They're really fun." She offers to Clarice, but there was talk of chocolate so she's ready to head out. Again she tries to take Lydia's bags, because she's supposed to be carrying them dang it, but she can't quite reach and would rather stay with her arm around Lydia.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia Dietrich says, "Well, keep in mind that the book was written over a century and a half ago, and there's a lot of jokes and references in there that only a little girl of that particular era and that particular place would get," Lydia explains. "So as time has passed, a lot of those jokes and references just ends up looking like silly nonsense because we don't have the context."

She walks along silently for a while, before adding, "There's a book out there that you might like: The Annotated Alice. It has notes in the margins about those references and jokes to put them into context." She chuckles and shakes her head, admitting, "Though some of the nonsense stuff is just that: nonsense."

"'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
    Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
    And the mome raths outgrabe."

"Pure, delightful nonsense."

She purses her lips at Mystiques choice of books. "That might be a bit above her reading level," she says, thoughtfully, as she tries to come up with an alternative. "Maybe the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and all the Narnia books. It's just as fanciful as Alice, and is about your reading level. You're not really religious so you'll miss the Christ allegory.""

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Books? There's more than one? Do they have the, ummm, first one? Do they go in an order?" Clarice asks uncertainly - walking alongside Lydia and Mystique without commenting on the sheer nonsense of a verse that makes no sense to her.
    Was that even English, anyways? Couldn't be. Must be some sort of pigeon like on Barbados.
    "Do you suppose Rahne read the Annotate Alice?" she muses in a thoughtful voice. She could, after all, ask her.
    She's silent for a moment before adding, "When I told her I'd read that Alice book... She kissed me." How's that for positive reinforcement?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A brow lifts on Mystique's face, "I figured she was listening while reading along, that's the only reason I suggested them. I have them as an audio file, because I listen to them regularly, but The Chronicles of Narnia are also really good."

And then she stops and looks at Clarice, both brows going up and the smiles on her face is joy and mischief in one, "Oh reeeeally?!"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"The Dresden files are a series of books and they go in order, yes," Lydia explains. "Narnia.... kind of? There's two ways to go about reading them. When they were published (which is perfectly fine) and chronological order. I suggest giving The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe a try and see if you like it. If you do we can get you the rest."

Lydia looks thoughtful, considering Rahne for a moment. "She might, at that. And if she hadn't that'd be a good present for her as well."

And then she just skids to a halt. "You /kissed/?" Lydia asks trying to keep the excitement from overwhelming her. "Like a real kiss this time? That's fantastic!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "A real kiss," Clarice confirms. She hadn't expected or planned on suddenly being so acutely the focus of both other women as Mystique and Lydia simultaneously skid to a half and stare at her - a reaction which causes her to clutch her purchased photo album all the more tightly. She takes a step or two past them both before she stops in turn. "It's... yeah," she admits. It was pretty fantastic.
    "And she wants to meet Cynthia too. I went to the island earlier - to tell her about Cynthia."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique pats Clarice on the shoulder once, then starts walking again. Sure, there are a few hundred comments she could make, a few hundred more she wanted to make, but she was trying to keep herself from embarrassing Clarice too badly. "Well congrats Clarice," she offers as she starts moving again. "Would you like to borrow Lydia's Kama Sutra?" Well she tried!

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
There's a sparkle of pure glee in Lydia's eyes as she resumes walking. "Tells us about the kiss! What led up to it? What did you think of it now that it was mutual?" This? This kind of silly romance thing is what Lydia lives and breathes, so of course she'd want to know all about it.

At Mystique's comment she hipbumps her. "Be nice. It was her first kiss! There are steps in between that you're supposed to follow." True, Lydia kind of skipped most of those steps when she decided that the time was right. But still, it's the principle of the thing.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice is stolidly ignoring Mystique's question as they start walking again, arms still wrapped around the album. "What led up to it?" she repeats uncertainly. "I mean - we were talking? A little bit about the sapling I'd brought her - and planting it on the island. But also about- well. About what I'd told her, and what she thought about that. And we were just getting up to go plant the sapling, when I said I'd read the book, and how silly everything was in it, and she just- she kissed me, all of the sudden, and I-" She shrugs her shoulders a bit helplessly. What do you say? What're you supposed to say? "It was nice. And then she just- then we we just stood there for a while. Together."
    Hugging. Crying a little. It had all been rather complicated, really.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique sucks at romance, she made that clear to Lydia in the beginning. Sure she tried a few things here and there, breakfast in bad, flowers, a silky nightgown... not a sexy one, an honest to goodness lovely silk gown, but she really didn't have it in her to play those games in romance novels. Will she? Won't she? Does she love me? Gasp, sigh, blah. She still read the books, and she enjoyed them, but not a single part of her did the romance thing. Lydia was the first person she even bothered /trying/ with, so that says a lot.

"First step, realize you have feelings for the person," she says calmly, glaring at someone who wasn't going to move in the game of chicken as they were walking, thus making them move. "Second is that kiss, the first one of the relationship. Next step is more kisses, and hugging, perhaps some heavy petting. By the third official date, that's when you get it on... social tradition practically demands it."

All that said, she looks to Clarice and says more seriously, "Remember what I told you? That love is complicated and that she just needed time to work it out? Well, she worked it out. I could give you reasons why she kissed you, the logic behind it, but its uh... more romantic... not to."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia has a hand clutched to her heart as Clarice speaks, feeling second hand joy of the situation. "Aww," she says finally. "That's sweet! You two make such a cute couple." She seems genuinely happy for Clarice and Rahne. "Being there, together, with somebody you love. That's special too."

While it's true that Mystique isn't the romantic type, the fact that she even /tried/ touched Lydia. It was the intention, not the execution, that gave her joy, and she cherished every moment of it.

Lydia nods in agreement. "One of the things that I love about Raven, is that she's letting me take the lead on most of this. Sure she's pushing my boundaries, but it's at my pace, not hers. She was a proper lady until the time I decided we should fuck like rabbits." The use of vulgarity is unusual for Lydia, but she can't really explain what they did in any other way. The first time was gentle and all, but after that it's been very passionate.

"Love /is/ complicated, and it's good to go at a slow pace while you're all figuring it out. We might have rushed a few steps, and society may pressure you to do the same, but go as fast or as slow as what feels right, and keep checking in with each other to see how they feel."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "There were more kisses," Clarice supplies quietly. After all - it's not like she came home that night. Nope. She spent the night on Muir Island - as Mystique at least well knew.
    She spares little more than brief, cautious glances towards her friends though as they walk. "And what logic?" she protests. "None of it makes sense." But she's not sure that it has to. She still doesn't understand why Rahne would want her - someone who runs so counter to Rahne's only beliefs and morals.
    "I don't think we're in any particular rush, though," she adds.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Lydia gets a little nudge toward the chocolate shop, since they were coming up on it and that is what was mentioned as next.

"Clarice, love doesn't make sense," she states bluntly. "Sometimes it's hot and passionate, sometimes it's romantic, sometimes it's common and simple but real... and sometimes it's all of those things together. The logic is in knowing those things and letting it happen, whatever comes, comes. As for why she kissed you at that moment, to prove to you that even though she was shocked and ran away from your truth, she stilled loved you and accepted your truth."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia shrugs at Clarice's question. "There /is/ a kind of logic underneath it all, though. A kind of psychology." She gets the hint and turns with Mystique into the chocolatier. "Take me and Mystique here for example. You take a look at us and think, 'Wow, those two are totally into each other, but they're so different!' to which I say, BAH!" She raises a finger, "BAH I say!"

"See, the thing about us is that we're two women who have very strong moral centers. Sure, they don't always see eye to eye, but being able to understand and accept those difference is all part of love. When I first met Mystique I thought she was corrupt, evil. But then I started talking to her, and started to see more of the core of the woman, and when I realized that what fuels her is that she /cares/ deeply and passionately about our community well... that was it for me. It put her actions in an entirely different context for me."

She starts off with going off to the dark chocolate end of things and peruses the wares. "Some of the things that she's done in the past doesn't always sit comfortably with me," she says. "But her conviction to do better... /be/ better allows me to look past that."

"Oh! How about this?" Lydia asks, holding up a bar of dark chocolate squares, filled with gooey salted caramel. "This sounds delicious."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "But why should she accept it?" Clarice asks in the wake of Mystique's words. That was something she still didn't understand. Why //hadn't// Rahne simply pushed her away for being too much of a monster?
    But then Lydia is speaking, and a few moments in - she's simply gaping at her. Did that explain it? Was that why Rahne could tolerate the things she did? "I asked her if I thought she was a monster. That people think that of Mister Creed - for doing the same things as I do..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Beginning to eye the chocolate, /all/ of the chocolate, Mystique offers a soft, "What did she say to that Clarice? That you aren't a monster? I've told you that a hundred times, but I guess when someone who is perceived as a monster tells you you aren't one, it doesn't hold much weight."

Detaching from Lydia, she collects one of those teeny-tiny little carry baskets and holds it out to Lydia. "Dark chocolate caramel into the basket please."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia obligingly drops the chocolate into the basket. Then she picks up three more of the bars and drops /those/ into the basket as well. "People are rarely monsters once you get to know them," Lydia says, moving down the aisle. "And Rahne got to know you."

She stops at a display and picks up a box of one orange chocolate thingies. "Do you like these?" she asks Mystique turning towards her. "I've always liked the concept, but I never really found that I liked the taste of citrus with chocolate." She grins at a fond memory, "My dad likes them though. He would always let me smash them to break them apart. More confections should be violent," she muses.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well, she said..." Clarice answers quietly, and a little uncertainly, as she rolls her mind back to how Rahne had answered, "She said that she still thinks that what I do is awful. But no one's perfect, including herself, and that- that we need to help each other and forgive." But it was clear a part of her still found that hard to believe. So hard to believe that wasn't paying much attetion to the fact that they were in the chocolate shop iat all as she focuses on her memories of that confusion conversation.
    It had been a lot.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique nods to Lydia, "Does it have chocolate in it? Yes? Then I like it. I am really that easy when it comes to chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I have some real favorites out there, but at the end of the day chocolate is chocolate."

Slowly she looks over to Clarice, one brow raised, "Lydia said basically the same thing about me Clarice, not those exact words, but the sentiment was the same. Let me put this in a really blunt way. Accept yourself or no one will be able to accept you. You have never once accepted yourself, you expect the world to hate you, call you a monster, because you actually care what society thinks. I honestly give no fucks at all what society thinks. I care what the people around me that I care about think. If Lydia can learn to forgive me for the things I've done, which are /way/ worse than anything you've done, then Rahna can forgive you, and accept you. So stop this wishy-washy thing and accept yourself, or change, those are the only options."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Mystique gets a dark look from Lydia. "Why don't you just buy the chocolatier? It'll be easier." She places the chocolate orange back on the display and finds herself facing a selection of samplers. "Hmm." She grabs the biggest one she can find and attempts to put it in the small basket, but there's no way to get it in there without it falling out.

Lydia snorts and turns to Mystique while adding in some expensive looking dark chocolate with almonds to the basket. "You say that but you /do/ care what society thinks, on some level." She shrugs, "Otherwise you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble with the lasso."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice studies Mystique as she speaks, then Lydia, then stares off at nothing again with a thoughtful frown. Is that really her problem? She doesn't accept it //herself//?
    "It's mutant society she wants acceptance from," she provides in a distracted tone. "It's why she cares what, you know, the X-Men think of her. Well. And so we can work together to get shit done, which is the whole point, really..." It would all be for practically nothing without that.
    Does she need to accept herself? Does she hate herself for what she does? ...maybe. Maybe some small part of her. At the least, she was ashamed of it - in many ways.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A smile touches Mystique's lips, Clarice got it in one. She knew that woman would, because some how she understood the cobalt mutant more than she understood herself. Maybe that's how it worked. You got to help others, but never really know yourself.

"When it comes to humans, I care what they think about the Brotherhood. Since I'm the face of the organization, I had to prove that it was changing, but Clarice is right. Mutant society is very important to me, and what they think matters. Some were behind my prior way of doing things, most weren't, so make a show of it to prove we have to work together."