Plunking around Chinatown...
This evening I found myself in want of incense. Sort of oriental stuff that you burn to make good smells. I'm not very sure if they average American is known to such things. Any way, I happened on a little shop in Chinatown. There I met a very odd sort of girl, though she seemed nice enough. When your own chéri has odd eyes, it's one thing... but this girls was different. Haunting... if thats the right word? But anwyays, I picked out some good incense so I consider the trip succesful. No I just need to go and buy some Van Morrison CD's. Then I will be set for days of rain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Jade Dragon
Such oddities! Packed tightly down to the last available inch of shelf and open wooden cabinet space of all manner of items, both treasure and knick-knuck, from the farthest-flung reaches of Asia has been gathered into this tiny shop of clinking beads and the soft scent of jasmine and frankincense. Small bamboo plants are arranged off to one section of the shop in a small greenhouse-like area illuminated by quartz crystal lighting overhead, and all other manner of exotic plant, whereas the rest of the shop, running lengthwise towards the back is tightly packed with tiny little netsuke figurines, paper lanterns, discount fireworks (where else but Chinatown? ;>), racks of used kimonos, wooden dragon carvings, and all other manner of items appealing to a shopper of this particular taste. From the ceiling, oriental silk scarves hang in bright colors along with small cricket cages and beaded curtains towards any available wallspace.
[Exits : [O]ut ]
Mark pushes the door open into the little crowded shop. The merry twinkle of welcome bells are heard, obviously tied right to the door handle. Mark wrinkles up his nose and smiles at the wall of fragrance that hits him. Soon the young man is wandering the shelves, looking up and down at their contents.
Blythe says, "Which scent are you burning in this burner?" her voice oddly drifting and echoy sounding. She stands before the counter of the store speaking with the man there.
"That is patchouli..... my dear... w... would you like some." The older asian man simply says with a forced smile.
Blythe folds her arms, it's clear that the man seems uneasy around her. She flips her blue tinged hair from her face and fixes her empty looking eyes on the man. The observant may note, that while there seems to be pleanty of drifting wafts of white insence smoke all over, none of it appears really be around her at all. "Perhaps, lallow me to look around some more. Thank you." She says as she turns away from the man and simply looks at the area around her.
Mark peeks around one of the laden-down shelves. The young man watches with slim curiosity, sniffing in at the air. He scoots around the shelf and finds where the incense is, not far from the girl. Mark offers her a friendly smile and nod, his eyes returning to the long, slim packets of the burning stuff. "Do you..." He begins, glancing sheepishly at the girl. "... do you know which of zese is ze best?" The actor questions in his French accent.
Blythe stops, arching an eyebrow at the voice that adresses her seemingly, however, not suprised by his prescence. She turns slowly, taking one step back away from mark in the process, her black eyes taking a reddish hue in the odd lighting as she gazes at himi with those odd orbs. "Not particularly," she says "I can tell you which is the most potent... but I dont have the best sense of smell.." she states casting a sort of off handed and confused looking gaze at a puff of smoke that seems to have gotten caught on the outskirts of the thickened air that surrounds her, and hangs there unnaturally.
Mark moves his eyes away slightly as she looks at him, not having expected such odd coloring. Nev's rainbow eyes were one thing... he was very used to seeing eyes without even a speck of white in them... but these weren't the same as his girlfriend's sort. Mark shook the haunting feeling off and looked up a the smoke. "Zat's odd." He says uncertainty and shrugs. "Well... 'tis more zat I am trying to find a nice subtle smell... relaxing, yes?" Mark says off-handily. taking a step back and gazing at the shelf again.
Blythe hrms, producing and odd echoy sound as she waves her hand back and forth clearing the smoke away. "Subtle and relaxing you say..."she states looking about as though expecting it to jump out at her and say hello. After a moment, she says, "Here, why dont you take a look over here..."and starts walking toward the the back left corner of the store.
Mark tilts his head at the sound, the bottom lids of his eyes bunching up gently. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this girl is a mutant, but Mark dares not bring the subject up. He nods as she repeats his request, his own eyes wandering for a moment. The boy follows on heel as she walks away, his own blue eyes still darting around. "ah, of course!" Mark says with a nod. "Do you work here, zen?"
Blythe shakes her head "no" she states as she steps up to a shelf and eyes it... "somewhere around this area, "she mentions gesturing to a 1 foot wide area on the rack before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of sunglasses and sliding them ontop of her head.
Mark watches her for a moment and then turns to he rack, his eyes scanning it carefully. The boy leans forward and squints his eyes, reading the tables. Finally he pulls out a small box that's labeled 'Scents from Ancient Times'. Mark cracks the top open slightly and holds up his nose, snuffling in. He pulls back and smiles, nodding over. "Thanks!" Mark says with a grin. "You know zis place well. Come here a lot?" He asks, wandering back to the counter where the owner is sitting. Mark pulls out some money and pushes it across the desk.
Blythe follows him to the front, "No not particularly..."she says as she stops a moment and regards the shopkeep "I would rather like that patchouli you mentioned..."she says as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her wallet thumbing through the sections and grabbing an 5 dollar bill. Her wallet is arranged very neatly keeping all bills separate and distinguishable by the different folds of the legal tender.
Mark opens his jacket flap and slides the incense box carefully into an inner pocket. The boy steps back, allowing her to make her purchase. "Ah. Zen do you live around here... in ze city?" He questions, glancing up at a shelf of goods. He could easily see tourists around Chinatown coming here. "Or maybe just for a visit, yes?" Mark added, give a dull shrug at the prospect.
Blythe shakes her hear, "No, I'm a denizen... plain and simple.."she says handing the bill over and taking the bag of incence "Do you have some particular love for incense? Or is there some occasion." she states as she recieves her change and pockets the insence inside her long coat.
Mark bites the inside of his cheek as she mentions a word he wasn't familiar of. "Ah..." He says and averts his eyes, trying not to look uncomfortable. Mark's eyes wander over a gold-painted dragon. "Actually... yes. I do... my parents... ze used to burn it much. Zough zey used leaves and ze like... nothing so... convenient.." He says slowly, his eyes flickering down to one of the currently burning sticks.
Blythe nods, "I simply like the way it looks when it burns, as I said... I dont usually smell things very well." she pauses, arching an eyebrow and keeping generally a decent distanc efrom him about 4-5 feet generally. "You seem a very talkative sort. any reason?"
Mark gets far too curious for his own good. Mark leans forward, swiping a hand at the smoke that chooses to linger a few feet from the girl. "Why does it do zat?" He suddenlt questions, his blue eyes narrowing in thought. Mark straightens up and lets his hand drop. "Ah... well... just how I was raised..."
Blythe leans back as mark's hand passes into her general area likely suddenly feeling an inkling of the frigid cold that surrounds her. She looks at the smoke and shrugs, "It likes me I guess... " she says and then turns and nods to the owner, "Thank you sir..."she says and moves closer to the door. waving around her at any spare bits of smokiness.
Mark wiggles his fingers, sliding them into his pocket. The boy rocks his weight on his feet and pats the box in his pocket with his free hand. "Ah, I see." He finally says with a nod, watching her as she goes. "Well, good day zen. My name is Mark, by ze way." He offers, his bottom lip getting caught between his teeth.
Blythe tilts her head to the side and offers a light smile, which would be less disconcerting and actually pretty cute if it werent for... well.. yeah. " Blythe..."she says, "Did you have some reason to stay in here?" she asks after a moment.
Mark grins and then starts for the door. "Oh! Well, no... I do not." He admits and pushes the door open. "Actually, I should be heading home. I have someone waiting... namely a puppy... who hates being left alone." Mark laughs and nods to her. "It was nice meeting you, Blythe."
Blythe simply nods a bit and almost winces as he steps through the bizzare cold thickness around her. "....sure...."she says a bit halfheartedly, looking at him taking a moment to memorize his face and general stance and form. "The same to you then... "she says, "you're very polite and friendly... have a good night, will you?"she intones quietly.
Mark nods and turns down the street. "And ze same to you. Thank you for helping me choose." He says, patting his pocket again. "I shall. You as well, yes?" He calls over his shoulder, waving a hand. The Frenchman wanders down the crowded New York street, getting lost along the people and shops.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Jade Dragon
Such oddities! Packed tightly down to the last available inch of shelf and open wooden cabinet space of all manner of items, both treasure and knick-knuck, from the farthest-flung reaches of Asia has been gathered into this tiny shop of clinking beads and the soft scent of jasmine and frankincense. Small bamboo plants are arranged off to one section of the shop in a small greenhouse-like area illuminated by quartz crystal lighting overhead, and all other manner of exotic plant, whereas the rest of the shop, running lengthwise towards the back is tightly packed with tiny little netsuke figurines, paper lanterns, discount fireworks (where else but Chinatown? ;>), racks of used kimonos, wooden dragon carvings, and all other manner of items appealing to a shopper of this particular taste. From the ceiling, oriental silk scarves hang in bright colors along with small cricket cages and beaded curtains towards any available wallspace.
[Exits : [O]ut ]
Mark pushes the door open into the little crowded shop. The merry twinkle of welcome bells are heard, obviously tied right to the door handle. Mark wrinkles up his nose and smiles at the wall of fragrance that hits him. Soon the young man is wandering the shelves, looking up and down at their contents.
Blythe says, "Which scent are you burning in this burner?" her voice oddly drifting and echoy sounding. She stands before the counter of the store speaking with the man there.
"That is patchouli..... my dear... w... would you like some." The older asian man simply says with a forced smile.
Blythe folds her arms, it's clear that the man seems uneasy around her. She flips her blue tinged hair from her face and fixes her empty looking eyes on the man. The observant may note, that while there seems to be pleanty of drifting wafts of white insence smoke all over, none of it appears really be around her at all. "Perhaps, lallow me to look around some more. Thank you." She says as she turns away from the man and simply looks at the area around her.
Mark peeks around one of the laden-down shelves. The young man watches with slim curiosity, sniffing in at the air. He scoots around the shelf and finds where the incense is, not far from the girl. Mark offers her a friendly smile and nod, his eyes returning to the long, slim packets of the burning stuff. "Do you..." He begins, glancing sheepishly at the girl. "... do you know which of zese is ze best?" The actor questions in his French accent.
Blythe stops, arching an eyebrow at the voice that adresses her seemingly, however, not suprised by his prescence. She turns slowly, taking one step back away from mark in the process, her black eyes taking a reddish hue in the odd lighting as she gazes at himi with those odd orbs. "Not particularly," she says "I can tell you which is the most potent... but I dont have the best sense of smell.." she states casting a sort of off handed and confused looking gaze at a puff of smoke that seems to have gotten caught on the outskirts of the thickened air that surrounds her, and hangs there unnaturally.
Mark moves his eyes away slightly as she looks at him, not having expected such odd coloring. Nev's rainbow eyes were one thing... he was very used to seeing eyes without even a speck of white in them... but these weren't the same as his girlfriend's sort. Mark shook the haunting feeling off and looked up a the smoke. "Zat's odd." He says uncertainty and shrugs. "Well... 'tis more zat I am trying to find a nice subtle smell... relaxing, yes?" Mark says off-handily. taking a step back and gazing at the shelf again.
Blythe hrms, producing and odd echoy sound as she waves her hand back and forth clearing the smoke away. "Subtle and relaxing you say..."she states looking about as though expecting it to jump out at her and say hello. After a moment, she says, "Here, why dont you take a look over here..."and starts walking toward the the back left corner of the store.
Mark tilts his head at the sound, the bottom lids of his eyes bunching up gently. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this girl is a mutant, but Mark dares not bring the subject up. He nods as she repeats his request, his own eyes wandering for a moment. The boy follows on heel as she walks away, his own blue eyes still darting around. "ah, of course!" Mark says with a nod. "Do you work here, zen?"
Blythe shakes her head "no" she states as she steps up to a shelf and eyes it... "somewhere around this area, "she mentions gesturing to a 1 foot wide area on the rack before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of sunglasses and sliding them ontop of her head.
Mark watches her for a moment and then turns to he rack, his eyes scanning it carefully. The boy leans forward and squints his eyes, reading the tables. Finally he pulls out a small box that's labeled 'Scents from Ancient Times'. Mark cracks the top open slightly and holds up his nose, snuffling in. He pulls back and smiles, nodding over. "Thanks!" Mark says with a grin. "You know zis place well. Come here a lot?" He asks, wandering back to the counter where the owner is sitting. Mark pulls out some money and pushes it across the desk.
Blythe follows him to the front, "No not particularly..."she says as she stops a moment and regards the shopkeep "I would rather like that patchouli you mentioned..."she says as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her wallet thumbing through the sections and grabbing an 5 dollar bill. Her wallet is arranged very neatly keeping all bills separate and distinguishable by the different folds of the legal tender.
Mark opens his jacket flap and slides the incense box carefully into an inner pocket. The boy steps back, allowing her to make her purchase. "Ah. Zen do you live around here... in ze city?" He questions, glancing up at a shelf of goods. He could easily see tourists around Chinatown coming here. "Or maybe just for a visit, yes?" Mark added, give a dull shrug at the prospect.
Blythe shakes her hear, "No, I'm a denizen... plain and simple.."she says handing the bill over and taking the bag of incence "Do you have some particular love for incense? Or is there some occasion." she states as she recieves her change and pockets the insence inside her long coat.
Mark bites the inside of his cheek as she mentions a word he wasn't familiar of. "Ah..." He says and averts his eyes, trying not to look uncomfortable. Mark's eyes wander over a gold-painted dragon. "Actually... yes. I do... my parents... ze used to burn it much. Zough zey used leaves and ze like... nothing so... convenient.." He says slowly, his eyes flickering down to one of the currently burning sticks.
Blythe nods, "I simply like the way it looks when it burns, as I said... I dont usually smell things very well." she pauses, arching an eyebrow and keeping generally a decent distanc efrom him about 4-5 feet generally. "You seem a very talkative sort. any reason?"
Mark gets far too curious for his own good. Mark leans forward, swiping a hand at the smoke that chooses to linger a few feet from the girl. "Why does it do zat?" He suddenlt questions, his blue eyes narrowing in thought. Mark straightens up and lets his hand drop. "Ah... well... just how I was raised..."
Blythe leans back as mark's hand passes into her general area likely suddenly feeling an inkling of the frigid cold that surrounds her. She looks at the smoke and shrugs, "It likes me I guess... " she says and then turns and nods to the owner, "Thank you sir..."she says and moves closer to the door. waving around her at any spare bits of smokiness.
Mark wiggles his fingers, sliding them into his pocket. The boy rocks his weight on his feet and pats the box in his pocket with his free hand. "Ah, I see." He finally says with a nod, watching her as she goes. "Well, good day zen. My name is Mark, by ze way." He offers, his bottom lip getting caught between his teeth.
Blythe tilts her head to the side and offers a light smile, which would be less disconcerting and actually pretty cute if it werent for... well.. yeah. " Blythe..."she says, "Did you have some reason to stay in here?" she asks after a moment.
Mark grins and then starts for the door. "Oh! Well, no... I do not." He admits and pushes the door open. "Actually, I should be heading home. I have someone waiting... namely a puppy... who hates being left alone." Mark laughs and nods to her. "It was nice meeting you, Blythe."
Blythe simply nods a bit and almost winces as he steps through the bizzare cold thickness around her. "....sure...."she says a bit halfheartedly, looking at him taking a moment to memorize his face and general stance and form. "The same to you then... "she says, "you're very polite and friendly... have a good night, will you?"she intones quietly.
Mark nods and turns down the street. "And ze same to you. Thank you for helping me choose." He says, patting his pocket again. "I shall. You as well, yes?" He calls over his shoulder, waving a hand. The Frenchman wanders down the crowded New York street, getting lost along the people and shops.