A Surprising Encounter

Participants:

anna_icon.gif magnes_icon.gif

Scene Title A Surprising Encounter
Synopsis Anna and Magnes meet again, this time they're actually nice to one another.
Date November 20, 2010

Sam's Comics


The last time Magnes came to Sam's Comics, he was too busy giving Anna a PSA to even walk in, or tell her that he was into that kind of thing. He has no idea she even works there. It's early in the morning, he slept in a hospital, unable to face going home in the dawn of his breakup, so he needs some familiar territory. The comic shop, it always makes him feel better.

He doesn't look so good, considering the last two times Anna saw him, he was either being optimistic or angry about something, but now he looks like someone kicked his cat and ate it. He only vaguely nods in her direction, not even really looking, and immediately starts looking over the new releases.

Anna had just opened up the store when Magnes walks in, and when she notices him, she walks over. Nametag in sight, she smiles politely, one of those perfected retail smiles. "Can I help you, mister Varlane?" She asks.

She's not smoking, she's not doing anything bad. Still, she doesn't seem like she's as happy as she could be. In fact, she seems more like she's hiding a bit of a depressed mood behind that retail smile.

"Oh, no, it's fine. I didn't know you worked here." Magnes is doing the same with his casual smile, trying to be friendly but really not feeling it. "I just needed to be somewhere familiar, couldn't face going home. Don't worry, I'll buy something too."

"Well, I need a job." Anna counters, "Might as well work some place that sells things I'm normally enthusiastic about." Keyword: Normally, "I might actually have something fun in stock, if you're interested… an original copy of Super Hiro, issue 1, mint." She pauses, then, "That series didn't last long, sadly… I believe the author got killed." And the girl shrugs.

"If you're interested, I could sure dig it out… it was sold to us by a collector who was in need of some spare cash, and was looking to get rid of some of his collection." Anna seems to get more enthusiastic now that she's actually talking comics, and her smile becomes more genuine, "It's not the cheapest, though, but I'm sure you can imagine that."

"Could I come back later for it? I don't think I should make expensive purchases in my current state of mind. But, I didn't know you were into comics, that's actually kind of surprising…" Magnes smiles, picking up an issue of Red Robin. "I mean, a girl who hates superpowers, I just assumed… But do you have that new Superman origin story comic in?"

The girl nods, "Yeah, you could." And Anna steps back a little, "Well, I like fictional superpowers. Real ones are a different matter." She scratches the back of her head a little, "Besides, while most of the comics we have in stock are about superpowers, not all of them are." Then she answers that question, "We had… all the non-preorders have sold out, though, sorry. I can put you on the list for next week's supply?"

"Oh, sure, that's cool." Magnes is still picking comics out of the racks, mostly DC, but there's some Marvel and other publishers mixed in. "I didn't know you were so cool. I mean, I know you're nice, even if a little misguided at times, but a girl who's genuinely into comics and stuff? You better get used to awkward geeky marriage proposals." he laughs a little weakly, his mood still largely shot, but he's trying.

Anna laughs at the joke, "Is that one of them?" She winks before continuing, "I've had a few leches come up, yes, and I just know they're staring at my behind whenever I need to do something in the lower racks, but other than that, they've been mostly nice and such." She stretches a little, and she smiles, "Is there anything else I can do to help you, though, mister Varlane?"

"You're a little young for me, and I'm sure I wouldn't survive very long in jail." Magnes offers a slightly more genuine smile, amused as he walks over to the counter with the stack, then starts looking over the loose MtG cards. "I'm fine. Besides, even if you were old enough, I'm not one to turn someone into a rebound girl when I've just been dumped the day before."

Anna walks on to the magic cards, "Oh, you're into magic, mister Varlane?" She asks with a twinkle in her eyes, dropping behind the counter to get out a sleeved card. When she's back, she shows it to him… it's a black lotus, alpha series, "I'm sure you don't want this one, not right away anyway… as we're asking a thousand USD for it, but if you're interested, we have it in stock until it sells." She pauses, then, "I'm currently the store's magic the gathering expert, so if you have any questions…" She doesn't even comment on the dumping part, not sure how to handle that, so she just offers an apologetic smile.

"That would be amazing to have… but you're right, I want to wait to buy it, but I'm definitely interested." Magnes raises an eyebrow at her, locking eyes as he tries to seemingly find something. "You're… very nice today. I mean it's as if you don't want to stab me in the ear."

Anna chuckles, "Rule number one of retail… Always be nice to your customers, keeps them coming back." The girl grins as she heads to place the black lotus back behind the counter, "So, anyway…" She grins, "How's life right now, mister Evolved guy?" Her eyes twinkle, and her smile is still locked in that retail smile, but it seems.. more genuine, somehow?

"Well, girlfriend dumped me, so it kind of feels like the world's fallen apart. I came here somehow thinking everything would suddenly be better, but in the end, it's just a comic shop." Magnes leans on the counter, picking a few packs of MtG cards to sit them on his stack of comics. "It's all because my ability gives me a responsibility, and she can't take it anymore. I just, I wish I didn't have my ability. If they come up with that cure, I think I'm taking it… I've wanted a super power all my life, but now…"

"Your ability only gives you responsibility if you want it, mister Varlane." Anna says sternly, "It could also give you wealth if you were to wish that, or it could just be something to save your own hide if you need to." Wait, where did the Evo-hatred just disappear to…?

"Not that I say you shouldn't take the cure if it comes to be… just, have a better reason than that." Another pause from Anna, "As someone told me, It's not who you are, it's just something extra you can do… like being good at maths, or knowing a lot about comics."

"I can't just ignore responsibility, you've probably seen the news, you've seen the times I've had to save people. I couldn't just turn my back and let them die. Having the ability to save them, to me, means I have to save them, without question." Magnes stares at her with a bit of a squint, holding his hand out for a moment. She can feel something subtle shift in her for a brief few seconds, then stop. "You're not a clone or a shapechanger, right? I believe you've been replaced with a human being." he jokes, grinning.

"If only…" Anna complains at the last comment, sighing to herself. "If only I were a human being…" The girl neglects to explain that further, instead going back to his previous comments, "Then that's a choice you're making. And it's a choice that brings a hard life with it." Anna points out, "Responsibility is supposed to be hard, and you chose to have it. Even though you feel like you have to, nobody is forcing you to."

"I don't think I could live with myself if I dropped my responsibilities." Magnes lifts five packs of magic cards from the box, sliding them over to her, then reaches into his pocket for a Superman credit card, offering it. "Those five packs are yours."

"Then you have to accept the consequences of taking on those responsibilities." Anna responds, smiling faintly. She registers the credit card and hands over the necessary items for Magnes to finish the transaction, "Thanks." Is all she has to say about that… seemingly a bit surprised.

"Since you seem to be on good behavior lately, maybe you could come watch my band play one day. I'm proud of this whole change I'm seeing in you, very mature." Magnes pulls his backpack off, and slips his new things into it, zipping it back up. "I don't know what caused the change, but keep it up."

"Maybe." Anna responds, shrugging… "Any more of your kind playing there…? Sounds like a trap, maybe…" Anna shrugs, "Nonetheless… I do wish you the best." She pauses, then smiles, "I have to kind of finish some things… sorry, can't let you monopolize my time… not when my time is owned by the store."

"Don't worry, all Evolved can smell eachother, I'll just give you one of my hats and they won't be able to tell the difference." Magnes is teasing again, sliding his backpack on so he can head for the exit. "I'll see you around, Anna."


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