Arts Amongst the Chaos

[iceheart_imperial]

WHO: Ysanne Isard, Artists of all varieties, and the people who love them/their art? (In short, everyone is invited)
WHERE: A Park in Heropa.
WHEN: Afternoon/Evening
WHAT: In defiance of current events, a planned arts fair is held. If you need help with a robot double, there's some convenient Stormtroopers...err, trainees...nearby to assist...
WARNINGS: Added as needed



The park sparkled, the open tents surrounded by strings of fairy lights. She'd gotten someone in for this one, as such aesthetics were beyond her. But it fit well, all things said and done. As the evening drew on, she knew, the place would take on a lovely sparkle. All the better, given events.

Her Stormtroopers were on hand, of course, though neither she nor they would ever call themselves that. Officially, they were 'on loan' as a 'courtesy' for additional security. They would identify by their American names and ranks, not by an Imperial number. And, at her insistence, they only carried non-lethals. Stun batons, firmly holstered at their sides. It was the best possible balance between security and openness she could manage.

The tents were arrayed by themes, based on those who had come. One for potteries and housewares, another for paintings and prints, still another for musicians on small stages, hawking their sounds. There was room for a miscellany, too, she had seen to it. Each one carefully chosen, come the end.

The large center tent had refreshments and food - freely offered, in both cases. This night was a considerable cost, but every credit...sorry, dollar...was worth it. Given circumstances, alcohol was not on offer beyond a few ales and other lighter choices. But there was also a larger stage and a potential dance floor, catering to all tastes tonight. Throughout the afternoon and evening, different acts would take the stage, covering a wide array of talent.

It was a defiance of chaos, and yet another symbol of her dedication to her cause. But it was designed to put her aside, to place others in the spotlight. And so it continued, well into the night.

Comments

[batgirl_babs]

"Yep, and it turns out medieval and renaissance poetry broke my resolve pretty quickly," she responded, breaking the pile into two, less problematic, stacks. "And then there were the Neruda volumes..." she sighed.

"I know we've just met, but can I ask you a huge favor? To watch the books while I go to get some bags?"

[verunandesu]

Sypha isn't quite sure how to respond - she's not a huge poetry buff - but smiles warmly at the girl.

"Yes, of course I will watch them... and if they decide to leave, I will talk some sense in to them. What is your name?"

[batgirl_babs]

"Oh, thank you, you're the best!"

She offered a hand to shake.

"And I'm Barbara. Barbara Gordon."

[verunandesu]

Sypha clasps her hand and shakes, a bit vigorously, then realizes she's committed a bit of a faux-pas. "I am still getting used to doing this when meeting people," she explains by way of apology.

"I am Sypha Belnades," she introduces herself. "Your books are safe with me, Barbara."

[batgirl_babs]

"Oh, hey, no worries, I'm just happy you're nice!"

She pulled back, holding up a finger.

"One minute, I'll be right back!"

And so she was, perhaps a little bit more than a minute, really - but she came back with two tote bags and a glass of water for herself.

"Ok, crisis solved. Hurray."

[verunandesu]

She waited as Barbara scurried off towards the main entrance, taking the opportunity to start in on what seemed to be a variant of shepherd's pie. It was extraordinarily good, and Sypha had nearly polished it off by the time Barbara returned triumphantly with her bags.

"Please sit," she invited the girl, who looked like she needed it after dodging her way through the crowd.

[batgirl_babs]

"Ah, thank you," she says sinking into a chair. "Crowds are really not my thing."

She puts one bag onto the floor and starts stacking into it.

"I was built by nature to read books and do gymnastics. Nobody said anything about people."

[verunandesu]

"People are a hazard at art festivals," Sypha mock-commiserates.

"What are gymnastics?" She asks, unfamiliar with the term.

[batgirl_babs]

"Oh! They're a series of exercises where you use your body to do beautiful things. It's hard, but the result looks easy. Like, ok, one thing we do - we're called gymnasts - it's called the balance beam."

She starts using her hands to outline things.

"It's a beam, about so high off the ground. And it's about this wide. And we get on at one end, then perform a routine - moving from one end to the other using various different movements. The idea is to stay on the beam, balanced and not, y'know, flailing about. It takes a lot of work, but it's so rewarding."

[verunandesu]

Sypha listens carefully; Barbara is describing something akin to the movements of tumblers that she had seen a few times during her childhood and teen years when the Speakers' visits to Târgoviște or other large town coincided with travelling fairs.

"It sounds very difficult," she says.

Barbara is also describing movements that she is more recently familiar with; she thinks of Batgirl, perched on the ledge of the roof.

"Do you practice it a lot, here?" Sypha realizes just after the question leaves her mouth that she is assuming that Barbara is an imPort like herself, but she leaves it, interested in the redhead's answer.

[batgirl_babs]

"Yep," she agrees, "But worth it. And honestly, I'm practicing a little more these days. Turns out getting pulled out of your previous day job and being given a job coaching it."

"How about you?"

[verunandesu]

"I work at the library in Jeopardy. Not much in the way of very intense activity, for me."

Besides her nightly excursions to practice magic, every now and then. No need to mention it, though.

"Even before I came here, I did not exercise very often." She could keep up with Trevor just fine, and that's really all she needed to do. A lifetime of constant walking on an almost daily basis helped.

[batgirl_babs]

She brightened up, massively, gesturing to her books.

"We're best friends now. I've decided." She leaned on the table, head in her hand. "Books and knowledge are kinda my thing. You're automatically awesome now, too."

[verunandesu]

Barbara's smile is infectious, and Sypha finds herself returning it.

"You are welcome to come visit whenever you would like," she offers. "Where are you living?"

[batgirl_babs]

"I'm over in De Chima. Still trying to get used to being in an apartment that wasn't mine, in a universe that also wasn't. It's a whole layer cake of weird."

She takes in the robes and nods. "Though I'm guessing you're used to a lot of weird yourself?"

[verunandesu]

"That is one way to put it, yes." Sypha says drily.

"I am learning how to use the informational cataloguing system of networked computers at the library. My coworkers say I am making good progress, for someone who until one month ago was living in the fifteenth century."

[batgirl_babs]

She grinned at that.

"When I was in computer studies class, the professor had this big quote up over everything from Joseph Campbell: 'Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.' So clearly you're doing more than O.K."

"And one day, you have to tell me everything. I'd be so fascinated."

[verunandesu]

Sypha has to laugh at that quote - very accurate! Barbara's faith in her is pleasing.

"One day, I will!" Sypha says warmly. "Perhaps we could meet again and talk over food and drink? What is your communicator's number?"

[batgirl_babs]

"Oh, yes! Absolutely! I've intruded enough, sheesh. Here."

She jots down the number on a piece of paper, with very clear penmanship.

[verunandesu]

"Not at all," Sypha takes the proffered piece of paper. "I am glad you put your books on my table."

[batgirl_babs]

She smiled, and nodded.

"Ok then, this worked out way better than I thought it would. I'm so glad I came tonight."

[verunandesu]

"Me too," Sypha agrees. This event had been worth the money for the entry fee - art, fun, and new friends. She really needed to get out more often.

"Do you work often? Should I contact you in the morning, or the evening?"

She wants to play it cool and not come off as too eager, but you can bet that Barbara will be getting a call from Sypha either next thing tomorrow morning or the next afternoon.

[batgirl_babs]

"I mostly coach in the afternoons, after kids get out of school. Thankfully, I'm a morning person."

She lied, flagrantly. But years of Batgirl-ing around had produced a certain ability work without a real sleep pattern.

[verunandesu]

"I will contact you then," Sypha says brightly, declining to chime in with her own sleeping habits, which were mostly a mess.

Sypha's internal body clock had her sleeping with the sunset and rising with the dawn - habit after years of doing exactly that to get as much walking time in as possible during the day - but she relished opportunities to sleep in. Library shift work was fairly accommodating in that regard.

[batgirl_babs]

"Awesome," she said, with a very happy nod. "As they say in the movies, this is the start of a beautiful friendship."