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Rosalyn was sitting outside at a little table at the cafe, right next to a slim bit of parking where she's managed to squeeze her gold trimmed white motorcycle in. She was dressed in a well fitted pale yellow leather jacket that was heavily embossed with abstract but organic looking designs- A hint of feather, a hint of claw, a hint of fur. Rosalyn herself drew the eye with features and a long fall of golden hair. She nibbled at a plate of pasta but seemed more occupied staring off into the distance down the street than actually eating.
Yanno what Nevy loves? Being overdramatic. But yanno what Nevy loves that applies to this situation? Coffee! They notice Rosalyn sitting outside and wave a greeting. “Hey! It was... Rosie? Right?”
Nighttime rhythms. Old city vibrations. Cultured waves. Luigi skated on the sensations, walking with a dancing tempo that showed as a slight hitch in his step. Soft Italian leather made little noise with each footfall, and stopped the vampire in front of the cafe. He sniffed the air, leaned in to try and peer through the window. Crowded.
Luigi adjusted the sleeves of the tailored coat that was an array of colors slightly shocking to the eye, and sniffed again. The light gray blue of his eyes eventually fell to the one table outside, which now possessed both Rosylyn and Nevermore.
"Rosie works for you, if you like it," Ros said with a warm smile. "But it's Rosalyn, or Ros for most people. Come join me," she invited. It's lonely sitting at a cafe by yourself." She glanced over to the stranger, arching an eyebrow. "There's room for a few more if you'd like a place to sit, if you'd like," she invited. "Or you can pull that side of the table away to make your own space if you prefer it."
Nevy is also rosy complexioned, but somewhat less traditionally glamorous, with frizzy brown hair and a physique that squeezes past plump into fat. They're dressed in a T-shirt that says "Don't let stress kill you. Let me help!" with a picture of a kitchen knife on it, along with their ever-present black longcoat embroidered with sugar skulls. They grin. "Rosalyn, right - sorry." They grin. "Thank you, I'd love to." They look at the other newcomer with raised eyebrows and a grin. "That outfit is pretty darn impressive. I have a friend of a friend who would absolutely love it."
"Sei gentile a offrire il tuo tavolo a uno sconosciuto," Luigi replied to Rosie, bowing slightly, hand to his chest. "La tua bellezza è più della pelle profonda sembrerebbe....ah, forgive me, I meant to say, your invitation is rather generous." He slides into the seat, smooth as buttered silk, opposite the other two, letting them have the solidarity together as a feeling of safety to oppose his strangerness.
He looks at Nevy slowly, and smiles. It is a generous smile. "Color is more appreciated here, it seems, than back home. So strange, considering how colorful home was so long ago. Begging forgiveness, I am Luigi Fabri."
"And I'm Rosalyn Solfrig," she offered him her hand. "I will let my friend introduce themself. I'm afraid my attention in Italian lessons ended somewhere around "'Mi piace la liblioteca.' I will have to apologize to my tutors that I sent into fits of despair at my lack."
Nevy makes an overly elaborate bow. “Nevermore Usher, at your service,” they say, sitting back down. They lift their eyebrows at the language and accent. “In from out of town?” They say with a wry yet friendly smile.
The vampire laughed at Rosie's quip as he gently took her hand with his gloved hands. The blue leather gloves, soft and supple, matched the blue of his slacks and shoes. "I will not lie by not saying it is a pity, but surely all is forgiven." He looks and claps once at Nevy's bow, and responds with a flourish of his hand and another bow from his seat. "A pleasure. Ah yes, from New York, though I have been traveling recently between here and there. Business. Finally it seems I can come to rest here at oh so long last."
Rosalyn's accent was old fashioned, a classic trans-continental lilt, and her mantle sat lightly around her with a whisper of cool air that snaked around her to carry the scent of autumn leaves even in the heart of summer. "I hope so but I was quite the hoyden as a child." She smiled indulgently. "Philadelphia is a nice city to live in. What sort of work do you do?"
Luigi notices the peculiar handmade necklace Nevy wears - a ceramic disk inscribed with a stylized line-art rose, with other tiny symbols adding shading where another artist might stipple. After a moment, he realizes that some of the shapes in the Rose (and some of those symbols) have actual occult significance.
Meanwhile , its owner looks at Luigi with interest, curious about the colorful Italian.
"Hoyden? Forgive, but this word is...unknown," Luigi admitted. "I am having a Theater built just outside of The Old City- that large construction site ruining the traffic there is my fault, all apologies." He grinned mischievously. "It is hoped that I can broaden this old city's Theatre horizons." He looks back to Nevy for a lengthy moment. "Are either of you actors? Please say yes, this would be fate."
"Too active for a young lady's parent's patience," she translated. "I'm afraid I'm not an actress but I've always enjoyed going to the theater."
Nevy chuckles and shakes their head. "Not since high school - although I do know some people in the local theater community. No, I... am an artiste."
A dramatic hand to the heart. He is wounded. "Oh, another pity," he tells them, and then leans slightly towards Nevy. "An...artiste?"
She smiled and leaned back, picking at her pasta a bit more.
Nevy grins. "Yes. Pen and ink, mostly. I like to make art that's on the... macabre side. Bring some of the more beautiful side of the dark and terrible into more peoples' lives, you know?
"Ah, is this so? Outside of my tastes, admitting, but art is art, and appreciation is to be had always," Luigi stated. "Se riesco a vederlo, ascoltarlo, sentirlo, allora posso amarlo." He kissed his finger tips. "If you two are not performers, then I can always make sure that you receive tickets to my Theatre's opening show," he said, looking to Rosie. "A thank you for sharing the table."
"That sounds delightful," She beamed, and took one of her own cards from her purse and slid it over to him. It hand calligraphed with 'R. Solfrig', her phone number, and an excessive amount of curls swirling around it. "I'm a horse trainer, and riding instructor. Which is its own type of performance, but not nearly the right sort for stage."
Nevy lifts their eyebrows. "What will you be putting on?" They give a smile. "Is it an opera? Something about you screams opera."
Luigi took the card with surprise on his face. "Horses? In the city? I thought only the polizia had horses in the city. And tourist carriages." there was a sigh. "It has been...too long since I last rode." He shrugged. "I do so love a good Opera, who does not?" he says to Nevy with a grand smile. "A Theater will showcase whatever will fit upon its stage, though, and I hope to open with a musical, in the Broadway fashion."
"Ooooh, I love musicals! And there are actually quite a few stables and parks available for riding."
Nevy chuckles. "Musicals are great - although I have to admit, I'm pretty partial to opera, myself. The tragic ones are so tragic and overblown, it's great." They grin. "But I look forward to seeing your production, when it's ready."
Luigi waved his hands. "Not my productions. I am simply providing a stage. What I hope is a very nice stage," he insists. "I am sure there will be Opera. And ballet. The Philadelphia Philharmonic has already agreed to performances. And I think I may also do family movie nights every other week if a production is not in place." The vampire leans back into his chair and looks at the sky. "When I have more time, perhaps I shall seek out these stables and pick up former hobbies." He waves the card. "Perhaps yours?"
"I'd be happy to get you back on the horse. Of the horse." Ros grinned. "Riding is theraputic. It's very good for you, and a good workout." She reached out and patted the front of her motorcycle. "Even a motorcycle instead of a horse."
Nevermore nods. "The production on your very nice stage, then." They nod. "I have to admit, I've never really done much horeseback riding. They're beautiful creatures, but I feel like I'd always be vaguely worried I'm imposing."
"Nonsense. They appreciate the exercise- noble creatures through and through," Luigi both countered and agreed with Nevy. The card was removed from sight with a wave of his fingers, and the vampire leaned to examine the motorcycle Rosie had indicated. "Ah, a horse of a different colour. That is how that expression is, yes? My son loved motorcycles, and the women loved him while he rode them."
She laughed. "Did you have conniptions the first time he rode one? They're dangerous but the sense of freedom that they engender is not to be missed."
Nevy furrows their brow. “Loved?” They say with a touch of hesitation. “Did he stop riding, or...?”
"Conniptions?" Again Luigi looked delightfully puzzled. "The motorbike suited Marca- Marcus like the sun suits the sky. Bright, flashy, and difficult to watch." he laughed, then looked to Nevy, confused again. Then laughed again. "Oh..no, I mean, they showed appreciation towards him when he rode. Forgive, I did not mean to imply that they made love upon a motorbike..." He considered Nevy. "Although..."
Rosalyn collapsed in a fit of giggles, hiding her face behind the drink menu.
Nevy blinks at that, blushing slightly. "That's... a weird mental image. But that's not what I was asking about."
Embarrassment. Luigi took a moment to inspect his shoes as he collected himself. "Forgive. I..." He laughed, and recovered and looked back to the two. "I see what you mean now. He did stop riding...or perhaps he continues to ride whever the soul goes upon death."
Rosalyn composed herself. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed. You have my deepest condolences on his passing. Conniptions, by the by, is getting vocally upset."
Nevy nods, "My condolences, as well." They grimace. "Sorry. I forget sometimes that not everyone is as... um... death-positive as I am."
"Your condolences are appreciated, but time has come and soothed that wound. It can never go, but I am not as..." Luigi takes a moment to think. "...tragico, anymore." Silence. Then the vampire taps the table. "Do you two need your drinks refreshed? My treat."
"I couldn't possibly," she said with a sigh. "Not when I need to ride Elio here home, but I will take you up on it on another occasion if you'll permit."
Nevy smiles. "Not even a coffee?" They blink. "You named your motorcycle?" The smile widens a touch. "I like it!"
"I of course shall permit it," Luigi assured Rosie, smile and all. "I as well, like the name, but it is...a curious name. Helium?"
"He is a featherfooted bike, but it's derived from Helios as the sun or dawn." Rosalyn smiled dreamily. "He saved my life, brought me out of a dark place."
Nevy nods, looking thoughtful. "That's always good. I like moments of darkness, but... it's not good to live there."
"Then Elio has my gratitude," Luigi declared, and made a slight bow to the bike as surely as if it were a person. There was notable agreement with Nevy. "There is darkness and color in both aspects of living, and certainly one should be avoided. But sometimes it cannot be avoided, and having such help to carry you out of those moments is truly a blessed thing."
The bike's alarm went off just at that moment and Rosalyn jumped, then ducked down to grab her purse adn fumble for the keys. "Shit! I kicked my purse. I'll stop it here in just a moment... There"
Nevy blinks at the bike. "I didn't know they had car alarms for motorcycles. That's cool."
Luigi covers an ear, but his smile remains in place. he even starts to laugh softly as Rosie scrambles for the key to turn off the alarm. Once everything quieted, the vampire looked around to see how much attention they had garnered. "As much as it has been a delight to speak with you two, I fear I must continue on my way," Luigi said, rising, hand on his heart. "Rosalyn. Nevermore. Thank you. Spero che i nostri percorsi si incrociano in molti modi." He gives them one more bow.
She blushed rose pink. "Well it was a pleasure to meet you. The key fob can be a bit sensitively sometimes."
Nevermore returns the bow, still seated and thus somewhat less than dignified. "Lovely to meet you. May your evening remain as clear and fine."
"Not even rain could make it otherwise," he assured Nevy, and winked at them, before continuing in the direction he was originally headed. He started to whistle the main theme to Oklahoma.
"He was pleasant company," Rosalyn said, relaxing slightly after Luigi'd left.
Nevy chuckles and nods. "He seemed nice. It was fun to meet someone with a proper sense of drama."
"I'm sorry I don't have one of those," she said with a laugh.
Nevy bleps. "You have more than most. But I'm particular about my drama."
"So what is the proper amount and type of drama?" Ros asked curiously.
Nevy considers. "Joking aside, you absolutely should be yourself. That's important." They grin. "But as for proper drama, I enjoy playful and showy. I don't like people who cause trouble just to cause trouble."
She nodded slowly. "Well, I wouldn't be anyone but myself. Who has the time or energy for that? But such individuals are amusing, I'll give you that. How are you doing? We haven't crossed paths in a while."
Nevy nods. "Life's been busy - as it so often is. I've got a project in hand to visit a prison to look into some ghost stories and make art out of them, but it might be put on hold, so..."
"Why? That sounds like it would be a fun expedition. I assume it isn't an active prison?" She stirred the left over pasta around her plate one more time, then pushed it away an inch and set her fork aside.
Nevy shakes their head. "No, it's closed down. And it's a scheduling thing." They shrug. "It'll happen, I'm pretty sure, but I'm just not sure when."
"That's too bad," she commiserated. "I'll look forward to what you come up with when after you get there though. I've mostly been doing a lot of riding, and I picked up an apprenticeship with a local falconer, which is really amazing."
Nevy blinks at that, then chuckles. "I shouldn't be surprised that there are still falconers out there." They pause. "Do you think they could train a raven to perch on my shoulder and caw at people?That would just about put things over the top."
She shook her head. "It's not allowed. It's actually a pretty highly regulated hunting sport, with serious commitments that you have to make. Apprentices can take a red-tail hawk or kestrel, and once you gain experience you can keep several other types of hawks and falcons that are used for hunting. They aren't considered pets."
"Awwwwwww..." Nevy briefly looks disappointed, then nods. "Well, all right. I guess I can't be quite that level of Extra yet."
Ros smiled faintly. "You are sufficiently extra, Nevermore. Regular wild birds are happier being wild than they are caught and trained by humans anyways."
Nevermore nods. "Fair enough."
"But if you'd like to meet some crows, that could perhaps... be arranged."
Nevy's eyebrows shoot up. They lean in slightly. "...I'm listening."
She chuckled. "Somewhere private, and only if the birds want to meet you as well."
Nevermore nods. "Should I bring food? Birds tend to like that kind of thing." They hesitate. "I know ravens tend to scavenge. I'm not sure about crows..."
"You could, and most birds aren't going to turn down a free meal, but you might have a better experience if you come as you are and let them choose to come to you or not."
Nevy nods. "Okay. So, uh... when can this happen? Because it sounds... really cool."
"We'll plan a time," she laughed. "During the day when they're not all trying to sleep."
Nevy nods. "Lovely. Excellent. I'm absolutely in." They grin, a little bit giddily. "This is going to be so neat!"
"Well they're not songbirds," Ros said with a roll of her eyes. "So it'll be fun. You have my contact information, yes?"
"I think so?" Nevy flips through their phone, then nods. "Yep!" They hesitate. "You're not fond of songbirds?"
She gave Nevy a long look, then huffed a laugh. "Just overexposure."
Nevy considers that, shrugs, and nods. "Fair enough."
She stood up and offered them a smile. "It was nice to catch up with you. Give me a call and we'll set this up."
Nevy nods and finishes their coffee. "Absolutely. This was great."
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