It's kind of a dreary day. Grey clouds turn everything a shade of mediocre. The old patches of brilliant white snow from the morning have long since turned to slush.

Amongst it all, a rainbow beams through.

It's as if the clouds have parted and a ray of dazzaling techni-colored sunlight flares down, when the girl turns the corner. She wears one white and red striped sock, and one shockingly bright yellow and orange striped sock, both of which travel all the way up over her knees. There's a hole in one knee of the faded pair of jeans she's wearing, so that the yellow and orange shine through it. Her tennis shoes are worn and dirtied, but worn into comfort. Her shirt is a surprising lime green color, under a blue jacket. The girls hair is stunningly long, and today the top layer is pull back in a simple ponytail (adorned with a bright yellow tie) while the rest hangs loose.

But her smile is nearly brighter then her attire.

Her very presence radiates a kind of uplifting mood, even in (or perhaps especially because of) the dire atmosphere.

She walks, almost skips, past the book store, before stopping, mid-step. Her foot still hanging somewhere in the air infront of her, she turns her head. Her mouth drops. Her eyes widen. She's in the store before her mind even registers that it's going to carry her there.

Oh joy. Oh rapture, ecstasy, and rhapsody. Her mind flew through ever word it knew that meant complete and utter happiness. In only moments, the girl is melting into an old, comfy chair with a stack of books almost as tall as she.

Shad love the store. The first few days he stopped by, he had been cautious to skim through the first chapter of a book, and look interested in buying stuff as to not be kicked out. One day, he watched a guy for a full hour just reading a book, and the store didn't seem to mind. In fact, there were bean bags, chairs, and cozy little corners everywhere. So Shad had picked up a habit of reading a half a book or so every day. God, he loved to read.

Today, Shad was doing a bit or re-reading. His favorite series was the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card, and he felt a strong conection with the boy called Bean. So, naturally, he had read and reread all the books four or five times each. Right now, he was reading Children of the Mind, and thoughtfully reading over the only part in the whole book that he could connect with. The shells. The spirit switching, mind controlling shells. Jane, a lost spirit, made her home in the ansible connections of the New Worlds, and could move her spirit between the ansible, a group of trees in Mirage called Mothertrees, sprouted from the dead bodies of pig-like creatures thats genes could morph from Pigman to Tree, and a fragment of the main characters memory, his sister Valentine. His sister when she was young. Fifteenish. Anyway, Shad could do likewise. Move his spirit between four shells and his body. So naturally, this part always held strong connection to him, and he smiled upon it.

He was enjoying it so much that he hardly noticed the flash of color walk through the door, pluck some books, and sit them down in a chair near the beanbags he was sprawled out upon. When she did sit, his eyes noticed. And he thought his orange shirt was bright... Rude to stare, but he couldn't help it. So bright...

A blonde head moved back and forth along the bookshelves. Occaisonally a slender hand with silver painted nails would pluck and book from a shelf and flip it over, reading the back then flipping through a few pages. The book was then put back and the tall blonde continued on his search.

Today was another dress down day. Well, as 'dressed down' as Sebastian Aliano got. His favourite silver leather pants clung to his legs like a second skin. He was wearing a sheer white button up shirt that looked more mesh than material when the light caught him the right way. A bit of dark eye liner, and some dark red lipstick was all that adorned his face. Save of course a touch of blush and the bit of cover-up and mascara he used as basics. Alright...and he caved with a bit of glitter


Sebastian continued to do something somewhere between browsing and searching through the shelves. Suddenly there was a loud. "I FOUND IT!" and a giggle as glitter boy found what he was looking for.

The girl had her face burried in the pages of a leather bound book, her mismatched eyes devouring the context like a food (chocolate, to be specific). She noticed not the two males that accompanied her. That is, until she heard the shout.

She started and the book in her hands fell to the ground with a thud, as the cry ripped through the thick, dusty silence. The girl's head shot up, her eyes locking on the blond head hidden behind the shelves, and then the small boy sitting near her.

She started to laugh.

A good-natured, friendly, laughing-at-herself laugh. It sounded faintly like the gurgling of a stream.

After she had herself under control, she call over to the other, "What'd ya find?"

Shad, too, was startled by the glitter boys shout, but he recognized the voice, and dog-eared the book in his hands, laying it down for later reading. He cocked his head over his shoulder a bit, and smiled. Silver pants... Now let's see. How many people had silver leather pants practically sewn onto them that Shad knew... Hmm. Oh yes! One, a boy named Sebastian! Shad smiled, and sat back on his knees, getting a better view of Seb, and being able to safely identify him as him. He was about to speak when the bright girl spoke.

Now this was odd. Glitter Boy and Bright Girl. Shad seemed entirly drab in this scene, and bright orange over blue jeans and a leather cloak wasn't something to be called drab. Then again, no hair dye, no makeup, not even any sort of acessories made the boy positivly dull between the two. He anounced his presence to Seb, hoping the bad mood they had originally met under hadn't left too much trauma in Sebs mind.

"Hey Sebastian! Sorry bout the other day..."

Shad was smiling a bright smile, and his eyes were a golden brown. Not their flashy gold in the sunlight, but light enough to look something special. Then, he turned his attention to Bright Girl. She was bright in spirits as well, giggling after being scared out of her book. He extended a small hand to her with a smile and introduction.

"Hi. I'm Shad."

Pronounced Shade.

Sebastian giggled again and skipped over to the other too holding up his discovery. "BOWIE!" he exclaimed happily. The book appeared to be about various songs the 70s glam rocker had written. He plopped himself down in a chair and flipped through it happily.

It took him a few mintues to remember there were other people there. "Oh! Hello again Shad! I'm so very glad to see you in much better spirits today! Oh...and call me Seb, everyone else does." he grinnd, still flipping through the book. He looked happier than a child at christmas.

The girl turns to Shad, a clump of her hair flipping over her shoulder. "Hi! You can call me Sadie. I like your name." She grins as if the sun came out.

She is refused continuing this conversation by the joyous shout from the one called Sebastian. Bowie. She'd know that name anywhere. But it didn't seem as though she could mention anything about it, as the boy was already absorbed in his book.

When he finally re-realized that they were there, she asks, "You two know each other?"

Shad responded to both of them at once, his hand flying to his forehead, as if to shade his eyes from the sun that was slowly filtering in. But no, he rested the elbow of that arm on his knee, and smiled from beneath his protection of slight embarasment.

"Nice to meet you, Sadie. Yeah, we met once before... I wasn't feeling all too great. Good thing Seb is a nice guy, putting up with so much crap from me..."

He removed the hand and smiled at Seb. Yes... He had been in a pissy mood that day. Better mood now. Much better. Unfortunatly, he had no idea about this Bowie book, so he figured he would just nod every once in a while and act like he knew about it, while hoping to find some conversation turnpoint he could relate to. If it ever got to a conversation.

Sebastian giggled again, flipping through his book. "Oh...yes yes. Quite the mood you were in. Made me stub out my joint and everything. But....I'm never one to hold grudges. They give you wrinkles. Anyway....new friends are better than new enemies." he said.

The boy brushed that pesky stray blonde piece of hair out of his eyes and closed the book hugging it to his chest. "God I love this store." he said, grinning from ear to ear.

She grins, hiding her disapproval of 'joints'.

"Yeah, I know." Sadie replied to his last comment, her eyes glittering.

"You like Bowie? I got interested in him when I watched the movie Labyrinth. I love the songs he sings in that." Her eyes sparkle once more, and she grinned at the memory.

Shad didn't hide his disaproval. She was polite, but she wasn't open. He was rude, and was completely open and honest about almost everything. This was definatly something on the everything list.

"You know, I may have been in a horific mood, but I still don't approve of 'joints'. Not that I am your mother or anything, though, I bet she wouldn't like it very much either... Or, wait a sec... You said they were the 'Free Love' kinda hippie people... Nevermind about the mom bit."

He smiled playfully, which was a much much much better reaction to the one he gave yesterday. The whole, 'Why the hell are you here' kind of attitude completely replaced.

Sebastian smiled at Sadie, "I love that movie more than life itself!!" he exclaimed, hugging the book tighter. "What was your favourite part? I like the end with all the trippy staircases. It's too bad Bowie had to be evil...but he is the sexy kinda of evil so it's alright." he rambled on.

Sebastian looked over to Shad. "I know you don't approve, many people don't. But it's my body, and my choice as to what I do with it. And sometimes, getting stoned when I hit a creative block helps me do what I love again. Sure it's not the best way...but it works for me. All the bohiemian artists smoked opitates and others do far worse things. But look at me I'm rambling. Let's just say to each their own alright?" he asked.


When Shade mentioned his mother Sebastian chuckled outwardly. "Ya...you're right there. My mum...and my dad...well...I smoked with them before I smoked with anyone else. Mum even taught me how to roll."

Sadie was surprised at all that information about his little addiction. Sure, to each his own, but she didn't need to know that much. She decided to ignore it since it wasn't completely directed to her anyway.

"I didn't think he was that sexy... He made a great villian though. He character was so in depth. My favorite scene was the ballroom one. Wow.... Just... wow..." She trailed off, at a loss for words. After a moment of zoning, she snapped back into reality and turned to Shad.

"Sorry! We're both rambling! What kind of movies do you like, Shad?" She asked with genuine interest, her mismatched eyes staring kindly into his.

Shad bowed his head a bit, feeling a bit embarressed that he had nosed his way so far into the guys personal life. Well, Shad considered it far, so it could have been nothing or everything, no one will know. Also, he was buffed back by Sebs rebute. The boy stood for what he believe was his right. Very well, Shad wasn't going to waste energy mothing him. He would rather mothing himself.

"Movies? Ummm... I haven't seen a movie in a long time."

Truth. Poor boy won't spend a dime on fun, because saving up for a college application and the rent of a dorm is what he really wants to do. That is his fun. So, he figures he won't mention this to the other tw. Leave it at, no time. Which would work so PERFECTLY considering he has all the time in the world to read books in a musky old store...

Sebastian stared at the picture of the rocker on the front of the book. "Bowie will always be sexy to me. Oh! The ballroom scene! That's a good one!" he said with a smile. The boy loved his Bowie.

Sebastian looked at Shad a moment, wondering why he hadn't seen a movie. "Well...I'll just have to take you out to a movie sometime Shad. I'm not taking no for an answer either."

The girl smiled at the make-uped boy. She liked him. Sure, he did drugs (and probably other things she didn't want to know about) and he dressed like a girl, but he was happy, at least. She figured more people should be happy now a-days.

Sadie turned to Shad. Hmm... Sadie and Shad and Sebastian. What a coincidence! Too bad her name wasn't really Sadie.

"So Shad, what've you get there?" She nodded her head toward the book in his hand. She knew that they had at least one common interest, and so decided to stick to that. The girl asked Shad instead of Sebastian, partly because she already knew what the glitter boy was reading, but mostly because Shad fascinated her. He held secrets behind his eyes.

((Hee! And secrets he can't tell cause I don't want my sob story of a life displayed here! LOL!))

Shad was rather shocked that the man even offer to take him to a movie. Seemed very nice of him. Then again, Shad always made a mountain out of a mole hill, and a thousand things came to mind. No, he already told Shad he wasn't gay. It couldn't be for that reason. Then again...

The book? Ooo. His book. He could connect with this topic. He held it up, as if this was show and tell, and explained it.

"Oh, this is Children of the Mind. Last book in half of a series by Orson Scott Card. I have already read the whole series... Three times."

He smiled sheepishly, as if he was doing something wrong.

Sebastian crossed his legs and balanced the book in his lap. He read it for a few minutes, half listening to Shade and Sadie. After a little while he looked up, "This is really a wonderful place. I hadn't heard about it until recently" he said absently, gazing around.

((Ick, short, sorry))

Her mismatched eyes glittered at the book.

"Ooo... I've been wanting to read that series. It sounds awesome." She pauses, her gaze sliding over the cover, and the boys face.

She leans over the pick up her own book, her long hair falling to the ground, when the other speaks.

"Yeah. I only just saw it today. And I thought I knew a lot about this place." She doesn't specify what she means by 'this place'. "It's almost as if it popped out of the ground, like magic!" Test the waters. She like to know what kind of people she was talking to.

Shad smiled, and caught a bit of a hint in her voice. He place his book down, and mad himself a bit more comfortable. This involved the rustling of his wings, and an odd cloak movement. She'd pick it out. Most likely think, Angel, which was fine by him. If his wings weren't those belonging to a kestrel, he'd likely be an angel, just be disposition. Whatever. He had wings, and that was all that mattered to him.

"You know, Magic usually doesn't allow for places popping out of the ground... More of a people thing."

Shad knew Seb was Innish, so this let him be able to freely mention this. The owner of the store was Innish, so he wouldn't be scarred if he happened to be putting books away just behind their convo. Quick smile. He was debating on sliding his cloak back a bit, and reveal a wing bit or something. So she'd know.

Sebastian looked up from his book. A grin crossed his face. "Magic? That's utter poppycock. Everyone knows magic doesn't exist." he said, trying to be serious. At the same time, he let his pointed ears show. He looked back down at his book and the page turned on it's own. He chuckled a looked back up, "Okay...so I'm not much of an actor." he said with a bit of a wink.

The girl laughed, and her laughter was bright and cheerful. She noticed the rustling of what she assumed was wings and the pointed ears.

"Hey," She said playfully, pointing a mock-sever finger and Sebastian, "I could be an unnish and be terrified from that,' she gestured to the book on his lap. "I'd think I was going crazy!" She shook her finger at him, as if scolding a naughty puppy, but her eyes twinkled.

(SOOO sorry for dissappearing on you all. I am having computer trouble, so I have to use my mom's for a while.)

((Ignore this until I can delete it, guys. Sorry to interrupt your roleplay.))