Chasing a Story

[Celestyn Helkovaara]

Set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

It had been a fools errand really, when Celestyn thought about it. It had been not entirely a true story and Celestyn had found himself on the other side of the world because of it. He had said it would be pointless, but they had desired for him to at the very least just try, so he had found himself in the sweltering heat of Rio de Janeiro in the height of the summer. He was glad in just a pair of t-shirts and shorts, and yet he was still too hot, his blonde hair dripping sweat down his face, it was just unpleasant really. As much as he had been enjoying his time in Rio de Janeiro, it being a beautiful city, but he wanted to any where but in this heat, his New Zealand, and Finnish bones were not used to this. He was supposed to stay another evening before returning home, and though he knew he could return now and no one would ever know the difference he had decided to stick it out. Which was why had was trying to find a way to cool down and a way to make this hopeless trip feel a little less pointless.

It explained why despite the fact it was barely two in the afternoon, Celestyn was sat at a bar, on the beach front of the city with his work have in front of him, and a pitcher of cocktail sat in amongst his work. Celestyn wasn't a particular heavy drinker, nor did he really favour cocktails but he was in a new place and he was hoping to make the pitcher last a while. He was just hoping that it would help pass the time because it wasn't like his work was going anywhere. He had thought about just lounging on the beach for the remainder of the day, but he hadn't particularly wanted to get sand in his work bag or work belongings. It would get everywhere, and Celestyn didn't particularly like the idea of having to be constantly cleaning until all of the sand was gone. So, he was just sat thankfully in the shade provided letting the ice in the pitcher melt as he sat twirling a pen in his hand, none of the work gave away that he was a wizard so he was at least safe there, but he was twirling the pen in his hand, just trying to figure out how best to go about informing his boss about how pointless this story was, even Celestyn was hoping that perhaps he had missed something and staring at it while possibly getting progressively drunker would allow him to see what he might possibly be missing.
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[Caroline Beckett]

It was scorching hot outside in Brazil this time of year, and Caroline loved it. She enjoyed the sunshine and smell of salt in the air. She had played in a match nearby yesterday, but they had an off week this coming week, and she had decided to stick around for a few days as a mini vacation. She had never spent much time in South America. Her parents had always preferred to vacation in Europe after they moved to New Zealand. The former Gryffindor didn't have to return to practice until the middle part of t he next week which made the timing perfect to explore South America, starting with Brazil. She loved the energy of the place almost as much as she loved the food. Today, Caroline was spending the day at the gorgeous beach in Rio de Janerio. It was the perfect place to rest her sore muscles. The blonde had been hit by a nasty bludger the day before and had a rather unsightly bruise forming on her upper thigh. She had spent the morning lounging in a chair with her feet in the ocean.

Around lunchtime, Caroline began to search for a place to get a drink and something to eat. She tossed on a cover-up dress over her swimsuit and made her way to a fairly empty bar near the beach. She went to the counter and ordered a sandwich and an alcoholic beverage. The blonde scanned the place, spotting a man sitting with papers scattered all around him and looking rather discouraged. Caroline was curious and her food had not arrived yet. So, she picked up her drink and went over to where the man was sitting. "Mind if I join you?" she asked in a friendly voice.

 

[Celestyn Helkovaara]

Pouring some of the pitcher into his glass the man kept his gaze on the work in front of him, the nothingness of this trip was just not bringing any joy to the man's life. He should be happy though, with the sun sweltering down, and the fact he was surrounding by amazing people, and a beautiful culture, the fact he had a pitcher of fine sweet alcohol in front of him, he was slowly getting his buzz on, but just finding nothing in his work was bringing his mood right down. It was making the man feel like perhaps he'd missed something, that perhaps he had not seen something that a better journalist might spot. Something that anyone better than him might be able to see, which he was unable to, he put down the drink, still holding the glass in his hand, as his gaze settled out to stare in front of himself, completely zoning out as he just let his mind wander away, thinking over it all, thinking about how terrible it all was.

Just as he'd been about to pack it all in, just leave the pitcher, leave his work and just head back, the man was disturbed, by someone coming up to him, and asking if she could join. He glanced at her, and smiled in as friendly a manner as he could, this aided by the few glasses of alcohol he'd already drank. Celestyn sat up slightly, clearing away some of the bits of paper so that she could have some space. Thankfully none of the pictures moved, and there appeared to be no story, so it wasn't hugely important that she saw any of it. He nodded at her, "Yes," he spoke in english, a vague hint of lingering but old accent on his words, "Sit, don't mind my work," he put some of it in neat piles out of the way, placing the pen he'd been twirling on top and then taking a drink of his cocktail. He glanced at the girl, she was younger, far younger than he was, but he had never cared so much about age when it came to talking to people,

"Would you like a drink?" he motioned to the pitcher he was currently drinking from, and chuckled lightly, he realised how strange he probably looked a man sitting with a pitcher of alcohol in front of him, he was perfectly capable of drinking it all too.
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[Caroline Beckett]

"Thank you. I'm Caroline." the blonde girl said with a friendly smile back at the man. Caroline pulled the chair out and sat down at the table while he tried to clear a space for her. He moved the papers out of her way, obstructing her view of them. Really, Caroline shouldn't be so nosey, but it was strange sight she had stumbled upon. Then again, maybe it was odd for her to be alone on a beach in Brazil. Who was she to judge? Caroline's grey eyes looked him over, noticing that he was older than her, but how much older she couldn't quite tell. Judging age had never been her strong suit, and she didn't really care. He had a friendly look on his face as he offered her a drink. "Sure." she said, having already finished her own drink. It looked like it was the same drink, so she offered him the glass she had been drinking from.

"So, what are you working on?" Caroline asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of her voice. She hadn't had much interaction with muggles during her life. She had grown up in the wizarding world with parents who wanted absolutely nothing to do with the muggle world. Caroline had been working on changing that ever since she graduated and gotten out on her own.

 

[Celestyn Helkovaara]

Celestyn's smile lingered as the younger of the two took a seat next to him, and then introduced herself as Caroline, that wasn't a particularly Spanish sounding name, so he had to assume that she probably wasn't from the area, but who was he to judge such a thing, "Celestyn," he replied with a small smile, nodding as she accepted the drink from him, which he took one of the other glasses which he had been given along with the pitcher and poured her one, and then offered it to her with a small grin, lifting his own glass as a cheers. But after only taking a small sip, he shrugged at her question. He wasn't particularly working on anything, since he had been sent out to find something and Celestyn had found jack sh1t. He obviously couldn't tell her what he really did for a living, or at least who he worked for, though if she was a muggle she'd never know what he was talking about, but he didn't want to be the one to accidentally expose the magic world.

So he looked down at his work and just shrugged, the alcohol in his system making him far friendly than he would be normally, as was clear in the fact his smiles formed more easily, "Well, nothing really," he told her before chuckling lightly, "I mean, yes sort of, I'm a journalist, I got sent here to see if there was a story, and there's nothing, so not really working on anything" He explained to her. Motioning with a sigh of exasperation towards his work, and with a heavy sigh he just raised the drink to his lips and took a small sip, "What about you? On vacation?" he asked her, since he had no idea what she was doing in this country and it seemed like an easy question to return.
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