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Amalgam Comics and Coffeehouse is a small, well, comic book and coffeehouse on Frankfort street in northeast Philly. It's not always open late, but there's some event on tonight, and while Calamity doesn't really have an interest in the intricacies of MTG, they're taking the excuse to curl up at one of the shop's cafe tables with a trade paperback and a milkshake, instead of being...wherever Calamity goes when they don't have anywhere inside to be.
Have you ever seen someone walk into a comic book shop who doesn't know the first thing about comic shops? They're overwhelming places, with so much to look at and notice and people playing some odd card game, and the young woman in the yellow dress with red floral embroidery is clearly Not Someone Who Belongs here, but she's here anyway, looking around in a mix of awe and confusion. She's blonde, blue-eyed, and immediately drawn to anything colorful.
Eyrgjafa is no more interested in the intricacies of MTG than Calamity. She does have an interest in checking up on the teen, though, and the knowledge that this is one of their hangouts. Phaedra's presence is a bit more of a surprise for the older vampire, though.
There's not a lot about the place that isn't colorful, to be honest - and Calamity's pink and blue milkshake adds to the explosion of color from the posters on the walls and from the comics displaced on the shelves. Calamity looks up, their eye drawn by the opening door, and is about to look back down again when Eyrgjafa enters. They do a double-take, and frown slightly but don't make their presence known unless Eyrgjafa sees them.
The Beast within her rises up and uncoils within her a moment as she senses another predator, but the sight of Eyrgjafa draws a smile and a bit of a sheepish wave, before she goes back to totally and completely not knowing where to even think about starting to begin, here.
Eyrgjafa returns the wave, approaching Phaedra with a smile on her face. "How've you been? I take it Rena's comic made an impression on you?"
Calamity watches the exchange between the two from their table, slowly slurping on their unnervingly colored milkshake.
She nods a couple times. "It was...really, really good. I...don't think I understood all of it, but I liked the art and the story and it was really cool and...I want more? Something else. I just...don't know anything about this stuff and...but I like it, I think."
"Well, you're in the right place for more, then. Are you looking for more about the characters, or just more in general?" Eyrgjafa glances around, pausing when her eyes fall on Calamity, before nodding to them.
And what's Calamity to do, but upnod at Eyrgjafa? They definitely look a little confused as to why she's here, of all places, but they stick a scrap of paper on the page they're on and close the trade.
"Hey." They offer a smile and a small wave, though they don't get up from the table yet.
"I almost kinda want to work backwards from where I started so I can get the background on those characters, but I don't know how much far back that would mean I'd have to go." She shrugs, then follows Eyrgjafa's eyes to Calamity uncertainly.
"Well, we can find that out," Eyrgjafa offers, returning her focus to Phaedra. "They're a friend of Finley's. I've met them a few times." She pauses for a moment. "Do you have the book with you, so we can refer to how far along it was?"
"Uh, no, I didn't bring it. It was the, uh, Dark Phoenix Saga. X-men. It was really good, though, I need to thank Rena a lot for it."
"I'm sure she'll be glad to hear it, then." Eyrgjafa smiles slightly. "Do you mind if I ask what else you've been up to, since that meeting?"
It would be rude, for Calamity to interfere in the conversation, right? At least, that's what they seem to think, though they're pretty clearly listening in. And the name of the comic definitely has them interested.
"I, uh, spent last night with Finley? Gave them a folder and then stayed up all night talking and then...playing video games. I hadn't done that before either, I think zhe was kinda shocked to hear that." She shakes her head. "I mean...it was nice, though."
"Oh? What did you play?" Eyrgjafa seems genuinely curious, even as she glances towards Calamity. "How've you been?"
"Does everyone here just...fucking know each other, or something?" At the mention of Finley, Calamity eyes Eyrgjafa, then Phaedra. They sound a little defensive, but at least Eyrgaja will know that it's kinda par for the course with them.
"I been fine." A shrug. "Nothing special."
"...Well, we didn't really get to playing much. I...got stuck on character creation, and by the time I knew who I wanted to be, we were both getting pretty tired, you know." She shrugs, then looks at Calamity again, blinking uncertainly. "Uh...sorry? Did I upset you somehow?"
"Fair enough. Are you happy with who you created, at least?" Eyrgjafa shrugs slightly at Calamity's question. "Everyone? No. The community Finley, Phaedra, and I are in can be rather tight-knit, though." Her attention returns to Phaedra then. "Don't be put off, they're just like that. Similar to Rena, actually."
"Wh...? No?" Calamity blinks right back, just as confused. "Everyone just..." They trail off when Eyrgjafa starts talking. And then they actually stand, and grip the edge of the table "...Rena?"
'Cause it's not really that common a name, is it?
She tilts her head. "Rena's the one who gave me my first comic book. She's...well, she's not nice, but she's okay. Rough."
Eyrgjafa blinks at Calamity. "...that is the name I said, yes. Why?"
"She got...a barb wire...tattoo...? On her arm...?" Calamity manages to sounds both hopeful and furious at the same time, and their gaze flicks back and forth from Phaedra and Eyrgjafa. "...Blue hair?"
"Blue hair, yeah!" Phaedra blinks, then looks up at Eyrgjafa uncertainly.
"She's got a tattoo of something like that, yeah. I've only ever seen it in passing, though." Eyrgjafa returns Phaedra's uncertain look, before glancing back at Calamity. "Do you know her?"
"Wh...whatthefuck." Calamity says it mostly to themself, and runs a distracted hand through their curly hair before they shake their head. "I'm the one that got her into comics, I...thought she was dead, she fuckin disappeared -" They break off with a hollow laugh and another shake of their head, their eyes a little wild. "'S whatever."
It's probably, as Calamity says, whatever. They're a little worked up, but it looks like they're dealing with it.
Phaedra isn't sure what to do here, because, like...hoom, that's a mess waiting to unfold. She looks at Eyrgjafa again, more pointedly, to defer the matter to the older Kindred.
Eyrgjafa sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Well, the good news is that she's not disappeared permanently, at least." She sighs again. "A lot of this is stuff we can't talk about here, but I can put you in contact with her, if you want?"
"...Sure." Calamity waves a hand, and consciously turns their attention to Phaedra for a subject change. "Uh...so you...wanna get into comics, now?"
"I...grew up in an environment without any pop culture. No comics, no video games, no TV, no movies, no...anything but the Bible. So. Uh, yes, now that I get to choose, I want to learn more everything." She nods eagerly.
Eyrgjafa arches an eyebrow at the dismissal, but then shrugs slightly. "This is a good place for some of it, at least."
"Oh gross." Calamity grimaces. "That sucks." They say it emphatically. "What kinda shit do you like? I can prolly recommend some?"
She thinks for a moment. "I like...stories with magic. And witches. And people who tell the future, for real. Stuff that's full of wonder. And pretty stuff."
Eyrgjafa glances at Phaedra, then. "Didn't you say something about wanting to read more of the X-Men, too? Their backstory, and whatnot?"
Calamity grabs their milkshake, slurping on it thoughtfully. "There's a few I can think of like that, you might like. X-Men backstory's gonna be complicated, there's so many different runs and series and shit that contradicts everything else...you kinda gotta pick one set and go through it, and not try to read all the shit that splits off or you'll go crazy."
"Uh, like I said, all I've read at all is the Dark Phoenix Saga? So...that set???" She shrugs. "I really like Kitty. And Jean, I feel like I understand a little."
Eyrgjafa shrugs slightly. "More your department than mine there, I think, Calamity."
"Yeah, I don't spend a lotta time with Marvel shit, lets go see what they have..." They gesture over to the shelves before turning in that direction and starting to scan them. "Oh - you'll prob'ly like Runaways." It's offhand, and they offer her the first volume without really looking at her. "And..." They give her a few options, with regards to a starting point for X-men, before moving on to comics from a few smaller publishers that fit her criteria. It's pretty clear they know what they're talking about, and all trace of that defensive, sarcastic teen from earlier has pretty much disappeared. Calamity will fill Phaedra's arms with books, if they'll let her.
She absolutely does--to a limit of Resources 1. After that point, she frowns slightly. "I'll, uh, have to come back for some of these. I want them all, though. They all look really good."
"I can pick up some of them, if you want, Phaedra," Eyrgjafa offers. "Consider it an early birthday present, or something."
"This one, this one, and...these," Calamity points, "you can totally get at the library." They they squint slightly at Eyrgjafa, but they don't comment on her offer.
She gives Eyrgjafa a bit of a look. "Once I start picking up more shifts at your sister's club, I can pay you back?"
"Sure, if you want." Eyrgjafa shrugs slightly. "I'm not hurting for money, and I like treating my friends, so."
Yeah, Erygjafa gets a little bit of a look from Calamity at that, too. But..."What sorta club, are you working at?"
"Um. It's sort of a Victorian occult themed burlesque deal? I'm just reading tarot cards, not dancing or anything like that, I'm not sexy and don't want people looking at me that way. Not that there's anything wrong about people who do? Just...not for me."
"I think she might be reconsidering the burlesque part, actually. You'd have to talk to her about that, though."
Calamity wrinkles their nose. "Doesn't sound like my kinda place. Tarot cards...like telling fortunes and shit, right?"
"Yeah, I read cards. It's more practical than traditional methods, like reading bird guts. Eyrgjafa and I fight about it sometimes. She reads runes. But I think a good deck of tarot cards tells a story--not completely unlike a comic book."
"The symbolism of the runes is more specific, though. That lets you focus on the meaning, not on picking the right deck for whoever you're reading for."
"...bird guts?" More nose wrinkling, but then they shut up to watch the interplay between the two as they discuss their respective reading techniques.
"Bird guts! The Greeks also used to look at the livers of sacrificed sheep." She grins brightly. "Like, there's a lot of different omens that people have read over time. Stars and meteors are a really common one. Wishing on a shooting star calls back to that. Watching the smoke from burned incense, tea leaves, dropping wax into a bowl of water. Casting dice. I just like tarot best, of all the methods I know."
"And the runes are a religious thing for me, so." Eyrgjafa shrugs slightly. "The archetypal Chinese method involves casting yarrow stalks."
"Huh. I...I dunno I guess I don't see much point in trying to see the future. Is knowing what's gonna happen really change anything?"
"How can you change anything at all if you refuse to look at what's coming with open eyes?" She sets her books down to put her hands on her hips.
Eyrgjafa just gestures at Phaedra then, as if to say 'what she said'.
"I mean I...I guess?" They don't look very convinced. "Does it...work?"
"Yes." No hesitation before she answers. Then she gestures at a table of teenaged boys playing MtG. "Does that work?"
"Define 'work'?" Eyrgjafa asks, only mostly rhetorically.
Calamity glances over at the table. "...It's...a card game, what d'you mean?"
"...that's a game? They look so grumpy about it. How do you play?"
"...that is a good question. How do you play it, Calamity?"
"...Uhh. I...I mean I don't play it, but like...you build your deck and use it to try and defeat the other player?" The look a little nervous, like they're being interrogated.
"Oh." She peers over one player's shoulder very intrusively, but backs off when he snaps at her, going back to the books she'd set down. "Maybe I coulda learned when I was younger, if I'd had the time..."
"Do you want to get into it now, then?" Eyrgjafa asks. "It seems rather complicated, but possibly a good distraction."
"It's...you don't gotta be young to get into it, but...yeah I don't know a lot about it. Never got into card games, you gotta buy the decks and shit..."
"I just...want to learn everything, Eyrgjafa. Make up for time lost. But maybe not this right now." She shakes her head slightly.
"Learning everything is an admirable goal. If a rather challenging one." Eyrgjafa shrugs slightly. "There's nothing wrong with prioritising, though."
"Yeah just 'cause you can learn it, doesn't mean you gotta. Maybe you wouldn't'a been into MtG, even if you had the chance?"
"Maybe. I just...when I do something they wouldn't have approved of, it feels like sticking it in their eyes. 'I got away and now I can do whatever I want and be whoever I want.' You know? Fuck them all."
"Oh, believe me, I'm with you on that." Eyrgjafa smiles thinly. "I wouldn't actually fuck them, though. They don't deserve that pleasure."
"Yeah." Calamity nods, like they kinda know how Phaedra feels. "'S...'s a good feeling."
Eyrgjafa's joke hits...poorly. Phaedra doesn't say anything for a moment, looking down at the floor, and she shudders.
Yes, this is why one Blushes up, so they can shudder like a person.
Eyrgjafa winces at Phaedra's reaction. "Shit, sorry, Phaedra. Mouth ran ahead of my brain, there."
Calamity frowns at Eyr, and looks back to Phaedra. "They can't do shit to you here, now. Right?"
There's a pause. "No. Not now."
"Not ever again, if I have anything to say about it. I promise." Eyrgjafa says quietly.
"Good. Fuck 'em." They're quiet, but vehement. "Deserve all the bad shit they get."
Her gaze doesn't lift yet. She seems to be taking a moment to collect herself again.
Eyrgjafa lets her have all the time she needs.
Calamity actually reaches out to put the gentlest of hands on Phaedras arm, but makes sure she can see it coming. They seem to be aware how surprises like that might not be welcome, right now.
She glances at the hand, and then moves her hand to rest atop Calamity's.
"Sorry. Thanks."
"There's nothing you need to be sorry for, Phaedra." Eyrgjafa's tone is gentle. "I shouldn't have said what I did, and I apologise for it."
"What...what video game were you playing with Finley?" The question is a little tentative, but they're clearly offering a distraction, if it's something Phaedra needs right now.
"Dragon Age. I made an elf. With blue hair." The distraction seems to help. "She was a mage."
"Do you have a name for her?"
"Sweeet. I...haven't actually played Dragon Age, I...don't really have a way to play it. I know a little about it, though."
"Asterope. Like after the star. It was one of the other names I thought of picking for myself, when I named me." She looks back at Calamity, seeming to be mostly back now. "I don't have a TV either or anything. I can only play if I'm hanging out with Finley again or whatever."
"Would you like a TV, Phaedra?" Eyrgjafa asks. "I've been upgrading, recently, so I have an old one going spare."
"Yeah same." Calamity looks down, but there's the hint of a smile. Which disappears when Eyr offers the TV. It's not that hard to see that something about what she's said has put them a little on edge.
She turns around and looks at Eyrgjafa. "You realize that offering big fancy things that really aren't necessary like that is a large part of why Rena thinks you're trying to 'sell her something', right? It's a show that something that's out of her reach--or mine--is not even really a thing to you, and comes off as like a superiority posture."
Eyrgjafa pales at that. "...I didn't realise that, no. I'm sorry, Phaedra."
Calamity blinks, a little surprised at the outburst, and gives Phaedra the tiniest of nods. Though the mention of Rena does make them shift uncomfortably. "...Surprised Rena didn't tear you a new one..."
"She wanted to, but I kinda got in the middle there. But, like, the thing of it is, no one wants to be seen as a charity case, and...I know, you're older and smarter and prettier and you've got the sort of life that lets you not even think about doing these nice things, but on some level I think you do that because you're desperate to have proof that you're a good person. As if you don't have a true internal sense of that and so you're trying to make up for it with other people." She shrugs.
"...I suppose I should have expected something like that coming, eventually." Eyrgjafa admits after a moment.
There's a shift in Calamity's expression as they look at Phaedra - surprise, mixed with something like respect. They may be a little intimidated too, by this reading she's just given. But they don't have anything to say, really.
"Probably. I do it to everyone, eventually, because I'm a bit of a monster like that." She sorts through the books, picking a small stack that she can afford to pay for herself, a good mix of genres and recent vs. classic.
Eyrgjafa hesitates for a moment. "...do you mind if I pay for one or two of those, Phaedra? Not as a gift, or a charity thing, but a way of saying thank you for giving me something to think about and reassess in myself."
Calamity frowns at Eyr. "You could just tell her thank you...?"
"Yeah, that's a case of 'doing it again'."
"...Right. Sorry." Eyrgjafa sighs. "I'm bad at this."
"Stop trying to buy people shit. Like...just stop. Or give 'em anything, even. You can't fuckin...pay people to like you."
She reaches out to touch Eyrgjafa's arm gently. "You mean well. That's why I'm not going off at an eleven, just pointing out the problem."
"You don't know as much as you think about what I can and can't do, Calamity. But I take your point." Eyrgjafa sighs again, the hand not on the arm Phaedra's touching coming up to rub at the bridge of her nose. "I should be going, anyway. Mina wanted me to pick up some things for her, and it doesn't look like they're available here."
Calamity jerks back just a little at that, looking almost...disgusted. "...'F you're saying you actually can and do pay people to like you, that's...well 's not the point, and it doesn't really help shit."
Phaedra grimaces somewhat and gives Eyrgjafa a small shake of her head.
Eyrgjafa winces slightly. "...No, Calamity, that's not what I'm saying. I'll see you around, Phaedra?" She turns to leave.
"...Whatever." They still look pretty uncomfortable.
"Have a good rest-of-your-night, Eyrgjafa." She doesn't seem to be planning to leave yet, herself.
"You too, Phaedra." And with that, Eyrgjafa departs the comic store.
"So..." Calamity scuffs the sole of their ratty sneaker along the floor, and glances at Phaedra. "How do you know Finley?"
"Zhe and I hang out in some of the same places sometimes and zhe's pretty nice to me, even though I'm nowhere near as smart as zhem. But we're friends. And I'm like...pretty sure zhe mentioned you. You're Calamity, right?"
"Yeah - zhe talked about me?" Calamity seems surprised, but not upset.
"Yes! Zhe wanted to introduce me to you? Because you're zher best friend, zhe said." Nod nod!
Calamity goes pink, and dips their head, a smile growing on their face. "Awh. Zhe...zhe's so nice. And smart, and...really really cool. Which...means you gotta be pretty cool too, if you're friends."
"I mean, sometimes I can be kind of bitchy--as you saw. But...I try to be cool, at least?" She shrugs, giving them a sheepish warm smile.
"Naw, you just told the truth." They shrug, still smiling. "I...I hope you like all the comics, its kinda nerdy but I know a lot about 'em. So like...if you tell me what you do and don't like I can help you find more?"
"I'd really like that. Can...I hope to see you here again?"
"Sure, yeah. I...d'you want my number? Or Finley has it, too...?"
"I'd like your number, yeah." She pulls out her phone. "And I can text you back."
"Cool." They pull out theirs, too, in its beat up case, and recite the number to her. "Lemme know what you think about all of 'em. And...maybe sometime we could hang out with Finley, too?"
They receive a text: phaedra lamb :crystal_ball:
"I really, really would like that. It'd be nice to hang out. And I think zhe'd like it, too."
a text back: hey :boom: before they add her information into their phone.
"Cool, yeah. We could all like...play video games or something, I dunno."
"You'll have to teach me, ground up. But. I'm in." She grins, gathering up her books. "It was really, really, really nice meeting you."
"'S good to meet you too. See you later?" Calamity moves to gather up their things, too.
"Definitely. Can't wait." She grins, paying and making her way out.
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