Backwater Nexus. Mall. Let's Rock and Ride!

[misslucysleeches]

Lucy approaches the mall with just a little trepidation, smoothing out her dress (bright green with yellow flowers on the skirt -- and it's just over knee length, so a certain little pitcher needn't worry if she's around tonight) and making sure her hair is pulled back neatly in its ponytail. Silver's mention of the Rock N Ride nights at the mall stuck with her even after her return to her own world. So, after a rather annoying day trying to make sure her passport was up-to-date, she's decided it's time to seek out some fun and see what else this Nexus has to offer. "Just hope they accept regular old American dollars," she mumbles, patting her purse by her side as she reaches the front entrance. (Nothing in her vast array of literature suggested they wouldn't, but discretion, valor, etc.)

Comments

[random_xtras]

"Whatever you want to give me," says the little girl. "But my mother thinks they're worth more than two dollars." Her bright eyes flick toward the stage as the boys start singing a serious but very boyband version of 'Crazy Train'.

[misslucysleeches]

"All righty then." Lucy gives the one the girl was holding out before another look over, then fishes around in her purse and grabs a ten. "I'm sure a good one like this is worth at least that," she says, passing it over.

She glances toward the stage too and grins. "Well, there's a song I didn't expect to hear covered."

[random_xtras]

"Here," says Jazz, holding out a battered five. "I want that lil' toy you got in that basket on yer arm. That green thing."

"Alright." The girl turns her attention back to him after glancing at Lucy. "Just let me put the lady's book into her new bag for her."

After saying thus, she reaches up and catches hold of the LOL cat book in one hand by the spine, and tugs it away before Jazz can catch it. The living doll stops with surprise when he realizes that the child is having no trouble holding that big book despite her one handed grip and all the other things she's holding.

She gently puts the book into the bag, then pulls the bag shut and holds it up so that Lucy can slip her arm into one of the straps.

[misslucysleeches]

Lucy starts to do a little rejiggering, saying, "I could help you with that," but then -- oh. Okay, little kid's got it. "Strong hands," she comments as she slips her arm into said strap and gives the girl a thankful nod.

[random_xtras]

"Not really," says the child, looking vexed at herself. "I can't strip the spruce roots, or take the inner bark off the poplar trees yet because I'm so weak. But the older women and the men say that my hands will get stronger as I get older." She holds up the other strap for Lucy's other arm, looking into her basket in the meanwhile. "Do you mean the green Larry the Cucumber toy, or the little green rabid fangirl detector?"

Jazz snerks from where he's peeking over Lucy's shoulder at the girl. "Larry, a'corse."

[misslucysleeches]

"Hey, you've probably got a better grip than I do," Lucy says encouragingly. "And you've still got a lot of growing to do, so I'm sure you'll get those spruce roots yet."

She raises an amused eyebrow as the girl mentions her other wares. "Rabid fangirl detector?"

[random_xtras]

A smile rewards Lucy's encouragement, and she holds up the little keyring toy in question, which is shaped like a green doughnut, using a couple fingers of the same hand in the meantime to exchange Larry the cucumber for the battered five. "Yes. You can point it at your friends and make it beep at them, but it really will beep if a rabid fangirl comes near, too."

Jazz makes a pleased sound and presses Larry's nose while hanging over Lucy's shoulder, then grins widely as the little toy starts inquiring for his hairbrush in song.

[misslucysleeches]

"Heh, I see," Lucy says, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at the green ring (while being careful not to disturb Jazz and his new friend). "Sounds fun -- though are rabid fangirls a big problem here in the Nexus?" Then again, while she's no big-time actor, she's had to deal with over-excited and pushy fans of her own work back home. . .

[random_xtras]

Jazz snorts from where he's now listening to Larry's second song. "You don't know the half'a it, Lucy baby."

[misslucysleeches]

"I probably don't -- I'm not particularly famous," Lucy agrees. Then her lips twist in a thoughtful frown. "Though. . .I bet a lot of people are, around here. At least to somebody. Huh." Maybe those alarms are more needed than she thought.

[random_xtras]

The living doll shakes his head. "I've seen ladies git attacked jes' fer bein' with their own husbands 'cause some fangirl figgered they was in the way of 'is happiness with 'is brother."

"But don't rabid fangirls usually give their own alarm with all the screaming?" asks the little girl, looking up from tucking the five away in the basket under the toys.

"Usually," says Jazz, his humour restored.

[misslucysleeches]

"What? His own --" Lucy shakes her own head, curling her lip. "Some people are just mental. Ugh." Remind her never to get famous. The comment about fangirls giving their own alarm gets a giggle, though. "Hopefully we'll able to stay far, far away from them while we're here."

[random_xtras]

Jazz lifts his head and cocks it, then nods. "Yeah, sounds like they're all over on the other side'a the park. We jes' got normal ones here."

And Uzulee takes this moment to stick two fingers of her left hand into her mouth and give a piercing whistle of appreciation at the end of the current song, totally unaware that she just contributed to Jazz's statement.

[misslucysleeches]

Lucy tries not to jump a foot in the air from the sudden burst of piercing sound. She'd been so focused on her bag adventure she'd almost forgotten Uzulee was there. "Good thing, too," she says once she's got her breath back, laughing a little at her own overreaction.