Well this is unexpected

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire didn't expect to be back in New Zealand so soon. She came back every Christmas to see her mother and sisters but this was something different. This was her first Florish and Blotts book signing round. Normally, since she was centered in L.A Sapphire would have been kindly been limited to said book store chain in the United States but since she was from New Zealand her publisher had thought it a good idea to do one here. It was just as well Sapphire did have a growing fan base here even if she was just doing graphic novels for now. When the novels got further along she would pick up the novelizations again. With quill in had she gave a rather round little girl her autograph and kept the surprisingly long line going. If anyone had told her that this was where the young woman was going to be just three short years she would have told them to go to St. Mungo's to have their head checked. She worked heard on her novels that was true but she didn't expect this big of a turn out for it. Now she was here looking at a line of fans of her imagination, Sapphire smiled wide at a rather shy young man who looks like he was going to pass out form the nerves of meeting her. She took the book he had from him and signed it. "I've always been particularity fond of this one." She said passing her hand over it then kissing the corner of it, leaving a bright red lipstick mark clearly printed on it. The boy looked like he was about to fain from happiness. Saffron laughed and shook her head before gesturing forward the next person.

Sapphire liked these events mainly because she liked meeting her fans, they usually also fans of anything steampunk. She couldn't give a toss whether or not she made the paper really. It was for this reason that she sometimes went to convention as one of her steampunk characters just to be around people who where a little eccentric like herself. As she was having a short and rather animated conversation with a older gentleman who was asking her about where she got her inspiration from Sapphire noticed that there where young boys fighting over another comic from the store. She went over with her hands on her hips. "How what's all this about?" She asked in her kindest tone. The boys just looked at her in awe. Even though she doubted they know who she was she did cut a rather impressive figure in her biker jacket zipped down a little two low which she had chosen to ware that day. The tattoos on her chest could be seen. "If you've got nothing to say I'd say it's time to stop the fight don't you think?" She asked. The boys nodded and left. She was about to go back to the table that had been set up for her when the owner announced that her time was up and that every had better start leaving. Sapphire watched as those that didn't get a signature grumbled as they left and decided that she needed to do an unofficial one of these. While packing up her own things she noticed that not everyone was leaving.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy smiled as he headed towards the doors, spotting a familiar face plastered on the poster that was hung just beside the entrance. He had a book tucked under the arm of his jacket as he reached for the door with his free hand and held it open for a couple of girls who were leaving the shop, speaking over each other in their attempts to re-experience meeting their favorite author. The man’s blue eyes twinkled behind his black frames as he watched them run off before slipping inside. Jeremy had just completed his first set of exams, the weight that had been so very present over the past year seemingly gone overnight. Of course, there was still the stress of waiting for his grades, but Jeremy knew that he had done all he could. He was actually fairly hopeful and was looking forward to November when he would find out whether he could apply for his specialty training. Until then, Jeremy had no lessons to attend and just work to occupy his time. Having more free time than ever was a good feeling, especially for things like this. It didn’t take the man too long to find the end of the line. It was staring him right in the face as soon as he walked through the door. From his spot, Jeremy couldn’t even see the table that he knew Sapphire had to be sitting at. It had been so many years since Jeremy had spoken with or seen his friend, though he had kept up with all of her work. He had a shelf in his bookcase dedicated to her books and had read every single one.

With nothing to do but wait his turn, Jeremy found himself conversing with some of the other fans that were waiting in line. It passed the time as they wound their way up the long aisle to the very back where the autographing was being done. He was just rounding the corner when he heard the owner’s announcement that the session was over. Jeremy watched as the people behind him turned around and headed towards the doors, their shoulders hunched in dejection. The people in front of him streamed by, grumbling that the signing should have lasted just a little longer and mumbling about the owner’s lack of understanding. Jeremy walked around them. It was a bookstore, after all, and the owner could hardly kick him out for looking at the books. Pretending to browse the nearest bookshelf, Jeremy drifted closer to the table, stopping when he was just across from it. He took out the first book his eyes fell on, Ancient Forms of Magical Transportation , and looked it over, all the while keeping an eye on Sapphire. Fond memories drifted into the man’s mind as he turned to face his friend. He waited until he thought she was looking in his direction before giving a small wave, a smile on his face.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

The shriek that Sapphire uttered when she saw Jeremy could probably have been heard from space. In a flurry not so wild curls she was on him in a tight hug. It had been so long since she had last seen her best friend that she wasn't surprised she hadn't spotted him right way. "On my gods Jeremy Thorne here in the flesh I never through I would see you again. How you've been?" She asked all at once after finally letting him go. Sapphire looked all in all better. The tiny formal girl had turned into a short yet curvy woman who had thrown all her formality away in exchange for leather and chains. She hadn't changed all that much through. She was still excitable and always happy to help. To that respect she wondered if she wouldn't get in trouble for nearly crushing the book that had been in Jeremy's hands. She took a step back too get a good look at him and grinned wide.

"Damn that healer program has to have putting you through the ringer. I don't remember those glasses."
She said poking a little at her old and nearly estranged friend. She didn't blame him for not contacting her through. How she had left him had not been on the best of terms and had started so many letters to him to say high but not one of them sounded anywhere near right for all her talent with the written word. Sapphire had finally given up thinking that Jeremy would nether want nor care to hear from her after so long apart. To see him standing before her at her own book signing was beyond anything that she could have ever hoped for. Sapphire was quite literately bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy hadn't been expecting the loud shriek that was uttered by his former classmate. The two were lucky that it wasn't a library or they would've been thrown out. With a chuckle, the former Head Boy wrapped his arms around his friend, returning her enthusiastic hug. He rocked back and forth, not even noticing that the book he'd been holding was crushed in between the two until she released him. The page that the book had been opened to was folded over, and Jeremy figured he would have to buy the book. Looking Sapphire over, Jeremy realized that, though she dressed differently now, everything about Sapphire seemed largely the same. With a small blush, Jeremy shrugged. "I just never wanted you to see them, Saph. I've been wearing glasses since I was 15" he stated.

" So, do you mind signing a book for an old friend?" he asked, putting the store's book down before removing Sapphire's book from under his armpit where it had been tucked away. The copy looked well used, having creases to show that it had been read with some frequency. Jeremy nodded his head towards the table that she had been packing up. "Need some help?"

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire laughed and pushed on his shoulder. "I was the freak in the glasses that couldn't talk. I don't think yours would have been noticed. She said as she shook her head. Sapphire had never taken Jeremy for the vain type then again considering who his girlfriend had been at the time she was that much surprised. She thought about bringing Alyss up but something told the young woman not to. Jermey presented her with the book and Sapphire smiled even wider. "You keep up with my work? Well alright if you insist." She said that last part with a joking air. She would have done it for him in a second without him asking. Sapphire took out the quill that she had brought to the signing with her. Her quill collection had grown over the years to the point that she needed an entire drawer to keep them all. This one one blue with a golden tip and nub. She wrote her name in big looping letter than handed the book back to her oldest friend. She looked over the table that she had taken up for the last few hours and nodded. "Why not then afterwards we can go for an ice cream and chat about what's been going on with our lives." She said nodding over. She walked over and put her black witch's cloak over her shoulder and started to put the copies of the comic book that had been stacked around her in a neat pile next to the table. They had belonged to the book shop and had set them out for the display.

"Or has becoming a Healer made it so you're more careful about what you eat? She asked again joking. Sapphire looked her friend over and remembered why she had gotten such a strong crush on him back at school. He was handsome but over the resent years had found that it had been for the best that nothing every came of her feelings. Sapphire herself had been having adventures ever since she left New Zealand for California. One of the most memorable had been a member of a Korean boy band whom she had a fling with. Sapphire found that she was an artist magnet which may or may have been a good thing seeing as they tended to be as flighty as herself. At the moment she was single and looking for the next adventure. "I think we should just magic the table away before the owner bursts an artery." She said giggling then reached into her bag and took out a pair of large sunglasses which she placed over her eyes. "There now we match." She confirmed with a nod.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

“Of course. I’ve read every issue” he stated with mock indignation as he watched her sign the book. While she did, he tried his best to smooth out the huge wrinkle that had been created in the book he’d been holding. It still looked terribly worn, but he wasn’t going to buy it so he returned it to the shelf. Taking his book back, Jeremy took his wand out to send the book home so that his friends would be free to help. “Ice cream sounds great. I’m sure you’ve had a lot going on over the years” he responded with a chuckle as he gathered the comics on the other half of the table. That she was such a famous author wasn’t as surprising to him as it was awe-inspiring. Jeremy remembered doing silly things with Sapphire when they were much younger. Now, they were both grown-ups and doing grown up things. At least Sapphire’s grown-up thing let her keep using her imagination and having fun. Not that Jeremy was complaining about his career choices. He liked being a Healer.

Without removing his wand, Jeremy cast a spell that set the table to rights. “There you go” he nodded to the store’s owner. Now that they were both ready, there was nothing to do but leave the place. Thankfully, most of Sapphire’s fans had left the store and the few that remained seemed too shy to come over to her while she was talking with someone else. He headed for the doors, holding them open so Sapphire could go through. “So...famous author, huh?” Jeremy mused after he’d passed through the doorway. “Not that I’m surprised. The comics you did when we were in school were great” he told his old friend. Jeremy stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked, an old habit of his.

Out of Character:

Sorry...Jeremy isn't working with me today.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire actually blushed then. She was honored to say the least to have her old friend keep up with her work even if they had fallen out so suddenly. She saw Jeremy try to sneak the book back onto the shelf but kept the laugh to herself. "Oh I have a team now. Storyboard, editing the whole thing. When I'm not in the office drawing I'm usually out clubbing. L.A is fantastic but I do miss home every once in a while especially since Ruby went an got herself marred at 18. I wish I could have been here to stop her." Sapphire said gritting her teeth a little as watched Jeremy put the table away. She flashed the owner a smile then took Jeremy's arm and led him out of the store waving at the few that had been left in the store. She had wished the event had lasted longer but the time that she had been alotted was up and rules where rules she supposed.

Sapphire turned back to Jeremy while heading down the Harbor. "Well it was either that or journalism but I never really did anything with the Hogwarts Monthly so that was kind of out unless I wanted to do like a tree year internship. How about you then I'm guessing you should be just finishing your training by now." She said remembering talking to some of the Healers herself while she was being studied. Every Bella Donna child that had been rescued had been given a full mental evaluation before being let go into the world and Sapphire had been no exception. Even so she often questioned the amount of sanity she really had when she looked at some of the storyboards that she came up with. She blushed again when he complimented the work she made during school. "Thanks. Those drawings saved my life really." She said looking way now.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy listened with a small smile on his face as Sapphire spoke about her job and her new life. It was obvious to the man that she was happy where she was, which was a good thing. Sapphire deserved some happiness in her life after the things that had happened to her when she was younger. He’d never learned the whole story, but he’d learned enough to know that Sapphire’s life had been less than ideal at one point. “It sounds great. I’ve never been. Maybe I’ll come out one day and you can show me around town” Jeremy responded. He’d grown up in the States, but he’d never been that far west. As Sapphire continued speaking, Jeremy mused about their early years as friends when Sapphire had been unable to speak. He didn’t really miss those days, but he often thought back to that time when Sapphire went a mile a minute. He didn’t blame her though. If he’d been unable to speak and suddenly got his voice back, he’d have a lot of talking to make up for too.

“I am. I only have a couple of weeks to go before I find out if I can work with the artifact accidents permanently” he stated nervously. He’d worked really hard to get to this point, and he wasn’t sure what he was going to do if he was given his grades and they weren’t good enough. The walk to the ice cream shop wasn’t a long one, but Jeremy wasn’t in a huge rush. He was content to stroll with his old friend. “That reminds me…” he dragged out the words as he dug into his back pocket with his free hand. “Do you remember this?” he asked, passing her a folded up piece of paper. It was a bit frayed in the edges, but in otherwise good condition. Jeremy smirked at Sapphire as he waited for her to unfold the drawing, one that he’d come across tucked right in between the pages of the first book she’d released. Jeremy had apparently put it there for safe-keeping and forgotten all about it.

Out of Character:

I’m sorry. Life got crazy.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire winced a little bit. "Better you than me. I've seen some nasty things come from cursed objects." She said thinking a bit of her time with Dympna. She pushed it away before it really settled in. "Still someone had to do it and I'm sure you'll be the best. So fingers crossed." She said with a large grin. She could already see Jeremy in his healer greens. Sapphire had yet to met anyone who worked harder on his goal than Jeremy and she really hoped that everything would go well. While she put her heart and soul in all her work it was really the option for her magic having been very difficult for her during the time she couldn't talk. By the time she got her voice back though she had gotten a slight advantage over the other when it came to wordless magic.

Sapphire was perfectly happy walking along side Jeremy and catching up with him. She took the paper while pursing her lips at his smirk. As she remembered she had given him two things during school. One had been the poster of Captain James and his crew and the second... "My confession. You kept my confession. For the love of gods please burn it. What was I thinking?" She said bowing her head as she looked at the page she had drawn for him. She was so emberessed that she had done something like this at a time when she had been the most confused about what she felt. She closed the page and gave it back to him her cheeks a bright red again.

Out of Character:

It's cool. I knew you'd come around eventually boss lady.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy gave Sapphire a side look as she alluded to her time with Dympna. He'd never tell her because he didn't want to stir up any bad memories, but the reason he'd chosen this particular specialty was because of her. They'd been friends for years, most of their school years in fact. So, he'd met her when she was under the effects of the horrible things that Dympna had done to her, curses included. While she spoke, Jeremy took his old friend in, a smile on his face at how well she seemed to have adjusted to her life after Dympna. He knew that she had lived for a time with the family of another of their school mate's, Elvera Le Fey. It was easy to see the world of good that had been for her.

The smirk on his face froze as Saph mentioned burning the paper. The 'No!' was on his lips, but a moment later she was slipping the paper back to him and he relaxed. Jeremy pocketed it, the smirk returning in full force as he watched the tattooed woman blush. "Burn it? No way!" Jeremy yelled before chuckling. "I'll show it whenever they make a documentary about you and look for your old friends. It'll be great!" he stated, laughing some more, as he patted his back pocket where the drawing was safely tucked away. Jeremy knew, or rather he hoped, that Sapphire was long over him. Jeremy walked another few steps, feeling the stress of his exams slipping away with each step. It was nice to spend a couple of hours with an old friend. As they reached the door, Jeremy pulled it open. "After you" he indicated with a playful bow. Saph had always brought this side out of him, more so than anyone else did.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire got over Jeremy once enough distance had been put between then and the situation. Though what happened had left it's own scar. Sapphire though very loving and carrying had fallen into a cycle of inbetweens. Over the years she had grown used being the girl that was used for a little while the left aside for someone better. As much as that hurt she accepted it seeing herself as maybe too free spirited for anything serious. "Can't stop you if you do but I don't know who would want to make a biography on me. I'm not even that famous." She said shaking her head. Sapphire never assumed that she was that big a name. She didn't even come close to the level of fame that Gregory Lockheart or Rita Skeeter had gotten nor did she ever want it. She was having enough trouble getting used the amount of attention she got now.

Sapphire laughed and gave him a mock curtsy fanning an invisible dress. "Thank you good sir." She said just as playfully then whet up to the counter and looked over the flavors on through the glass biting her lip. They all looked so good. "What are you having?" She asked looking back at her friend. Sapphire decided that she would base a choice off of that seeing as she couldn't chose one her own at the moment. To many things she liked in one spot.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

“Did you see that crowd back there?” Jeremy stated, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb to the store they’d just left. “To them, you were a rock star” he stated, giving her a playful elbow to the ribs. She couldn’t deny that. Those people would have done anything to get her to stay a little bit longer, and he had the feeling that she would have to if the store had allowed it. Sapphire was just that kind of person.

As they reached the counter to order, Jeremy didn’t even have to look at the menu. “Easy. A sundae with plain ol’ vanilla ice cream and the works” he stated, already tasting it. The guy didn’t indulge in sundaes often, but he’d worked hard enough and felt like treating himself. “Wanna split it?” he asked easily as the waitress came over to them to grab their orders. After they’d ordered, Jeremy crossed his arms against his chest to wait. “So, do you keep in touch with anyone from school?” he asked, wondering if he’d remember anyone she mentioned. They’d been in different years, so they shared some friends but mostly didn’t.

 

[Sapphire Bookchild]

Sapphire laughed. "And I love every single one of them for it. I would be no where without them." She said. She was completely honest. Everything that she had now was because of her fans and she couldn't thank them enough for liking what she put out. She had her critics of course and she was grateful for them too because she got better because of them. She listened to Jeremy as he placed the order and though it was just like him to have vanilla. "Sure this way I don't get motion sick from apperation." She said thinking about her trip back home. Usually she didn't eat anything just in case her stomach turned from the flash of movement.

Sapphire crossed her legs and rested chin on her hands. "I haven't actually. L.A life has been crazy as all hell. My sister Petite has started to contact me more and Ruby can't take a step without permission but other than that I really haven't reached out to any one around here. What about you. I know we had sort of the same group so have you heard from anyone?" She asked leaning forward a bit. She felt a bit guilty for not keeping up with anyone from New Zealand but she knew that it was the way of things. She was just recently coming back to New Zealand for business and family.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

“We wouldn’t want that” he said with a soft chuckle as he leaned against the counter to wait for their order. Listening to Sapphire’s update on life, Jeremy was glad to hear that the sisters were still in contact. It was more than he could say for his own sibling. He had one sister who he spoke to on three occasions each year –their birthdays and Christmas. He hardly knew what was going on in her life and she knew even less about his. It bothered Jeremy at times, but he had grown used to it over the years.

“Only a couple of people” Jeremy stated with a bit of a shrug. They had a similar group, but having been out of school for a few years, Jeremy was having a bit of trouble remembering just who they had both hung out with. “I still see Briar every once in a while. She has a baby now” he stated with a grin. “And, I still hang out with Faxen. Remember her?” Jeremy waited a moment for Sapphire’s response. He was about to start again when the waitress returned to them with their order and two spoons. Picking it up and passing Sapphire the spoons, Jeremy headed for an empty table. Once he had sat down, Jeremy took a bite of vanilla ice cream before speaking again. “I actually ran into Alyss the other day” he stated with a slight grimace. Their meeting had been awkward and uncomfortable, everything that this meeting with Sapphire was not. It was to be expected, he supposed, especially considering how they’d left things off.