9834/Where's The Half-Blood Prince's Chem Book When You Need It

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Where's The Half-Blood Prince's Chem Book When You Need It
Date of Scene: 30 October 2019
Location: Rain Day Books, South Point
Synopsis: Stephanie and Nick bump into each other at a bookstore, and hear of Poison Ivy's taking over South Channel Island.
Cast of Characters: Phantasm (Drago), Spoiler




Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
While most people head back home on Tuesday evenings to rest up for a full day's worth of work Wednesday. Nick does not. Nick is not most people and for a musician, Tuesday nights are pretty dang sloooooow.

So what does a performer do on their version of the weekend? Well, yesterday he went shopping for sleep aids and helped a sorceror retrieve edible mold. Today's a bit more fun. For today...

He's shopping for books. With one particular book in mind, Nick has ventured back to Gotham, to a familiar site not far from where he spent some of his childhood.

The door clinks open as the knitcapped musician steps inside, pausing close to the doorway as a wash of memories flood over him. Giving a smile, he looks over to the old man running it and smiles.

Spoiler has posed:
One of the upperclassman had taught the chronically underfunded Stephanie Brown a useful tip early in her college career. Buy your books the semester before, and wait until that time in the semester when people are dropping classes. Those who don't plan to take the class again often sell off their books, creating a bit of a surplus that bookstores will have to keep in stock until the demand ramps up with the next semester. Result? Cheaper books.

And so it is that Stephanie is poking through the shelves. "Come on, just one copy. It doesn't even have to have the answers to the tests written in the margin. Or how to make a good Draught of Living Death," the blond comments aloud as she works her way through the poorly sorted section of student books.

She's currently wearing a pair of older jeans and some cheap knock-off Converse All Stars, with a dark grey sweatshirt that is worn enough it looks like it is probably an old favorite. It has a faded logo from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album on the front. Stephanie glances up and and over at the sound of the door opening, but her attention soon is back on the bookshelf and her not-yet-found Chem 201 book.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Moment of nostalgia fading a little, Nick turns, checking to make sure the door shut behind him before stepping forward, a hand lifts, running fingers along the spines of the books for a moment before lowering again as he walks towards Stephanie. Dark Side of the moon, meet Goodwill's finest solid colored attire.

There is the slight glimpse of pale plue eyes before he immediately turns, going down the fiction section. You didn't think he was getting this happy over a book on Algorithmic Design, did you?

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie pulls out a book that is missing the label on the spine. She sees the cover and says, "Oh thank you oh thank you oh thank you!" She opens it up and sees what looks like a big dark beer stain across the upper third of the pages. She flips through it and groans. Ruined to the point it'd be just barely legible.

The book goes back on the shelf. "Seriously people. Light beer. Less filling. Tastes great," she complains to herself just loud enough to be heard. She crouches down, butt nearly on the heels as she checks out the bottom shelf.

The blond glances up, blue eyes of her own looking over. "If you see a copy of Firks and Havendish's Chemical Analysis, you'd be a godsend," she says to Nick before turning her attention back to the shelf, going through one by one checking the spines, or covers if needed.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Dark beer. Once you try it, you can't deny it." Nick can't help but to offer in correctin to Stephanie's ever so flawed statement, he cracks a slight smile, "I would have concerns about taking a class where their curriculum is based off of books in the fiction section. Unless it was actually a class on literature."

Spoiler has posed:
"Hey, you seen the chemistry experiments I have, it would feel like fiction to you too," the blond replies in a good-natured tone. Seriously, discs with Victor Fries' freeze gas? Batarangs that exude the superest super glue to ever glue? Stephanie feels so inept at some of those things.

She slides over a little bit to keep going along the bottom shelf. "Hey, doesn't matter what section they put it in, long as it's the right book," she says. She pulls out another book and looks at the title. "Economics," she says and then shudders before moving on.

"What are you looking for?" she asks without really looking away from her search.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"'The Collected Works of Edgar Allen Poe' and anything else that catches my eye." Nick answers, venturing close to where memory tells him it is usually kept.

"Don't knock Economics. That's a moneymaker right there." A joke? Who knows. "And what type of chemistry experiments are you talking about? Changing the penny into brass or accidentally setting the lab on fire?"

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie waggles a finger towards Nick at the mention of setting the lab on fire, giving him a grin as she says, "Ah, I see that my work precedes- Oh heck yeah!"

The exclamation at the end is accompanied with scooping a book off the shelf. Stephanie opens it flips through the pages and then stands up, holding up both hands with the book clasped in one like she were signaling a touchdown, while she stamps her feet running in place. "That's right. That's right. Stephanie's on a roll!" she says before finally putting her arms down.

She looks around sheepishly. The owner is looking over at. "I don't have a very exciting life," she says. Lying. Oh the lie.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick's head looks up from the shelf he's perusing to look over at Stephanie's outburst. His weight shifts unconciously to the increased noise level before he relaxes again. "Sounds like you found the holy grail of textbooks." he asks, looking back towards the shelf.

He frowns as the book he's looking for does not appear to be where it should. He glances over to the shop owner, "Poe?"

The cardigan clad man gives a nod and points over to an endcap with a sale sign.

Nick grumbles as he remembers what week it is, inwardly cursing himself as he walks over.

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie clutches the book to her chest. "I'm not sure if Holy Grail, but it's going to save me..." she says before checking the price. "$17.50. Do you know how many trips to Los Pollos Hermanos that is going to pay for?" she asks. "Well, Probably two. Maybe one and a half. But hey, worth it."

She grins and then moves over towards the table that the owner indicated. "Poe, hrm? Dark and gloomy poetry your thing?" she asks as she looks over the table, perhaps trying to help Nick find it.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It's more of a nostalgic thing." Nick stops in front of the 'Spooky Stories' end cap set up for Halloween. "Don't get me wrong, I do like the classic poems but, you are aware he's also called the father of the detective stories, right?" His eyes glance upon a copy of 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and picks it up. "Los Pollos Hermanos... Is it any good?"

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie pauses a moment, considering the multitude of books on forensics and investigative methods she's been drilled on by Bruce and Barbara. Hrm. None of them by Poe.

But Nick says something to distract her from the topic of the books. "Is Los Pollos Hermanos any good?" Stephaine repeats. "Is it any good?" she repeats again. "It's only the finest restaurant serving chicken-like protein in.. at least a two block area," Stephanie tells him.

"Seriously, you've never been? Herbs and spices from the brother's family in Mexico. Or, Guatemala? Um... well, somewhere that speaks Spanish. I normally have the sound down on those commercials," she says. "Seriously, good stuff, you should try it sometime."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick shakes his head when she asks for confirmation, leaning down as he finds stack of books with a raven on the cover "When I lived around here, my mom and I didn't have much money so going out to eat wasn't really a thing." He grabs one of the books, smiling at the book. "The biggest expense we had was whenever the library sold off their old books. Last one mom ever got me was the works of Poe."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie Brown smiles and gives a soft aw as she hears the story from Nick. "Yeah, I know what you mean about the struggling bits," she says with a nod. "Well, hoping that's gotten better for your," she tells him.

Stephanie looks at the book that Nick is pulling out, when a radio that is playing behind the clerk catches her attention.

"... giant vines overgrowing the bridges now that Poison Ivy's ultimatum has expired. Authorities are unsure how many people remain trapped on South Channel Island, though many people evacuated as the plants literally game to life," a reporter is saying on a breaking news segment that cut into the music that was being played.

"We will continue to keep an eye on the situation and keep you apprised of new developments as they happen," the radio declares. Stephanie is standing with a stunned look on her face. "Sonnuva-" she says under her breath.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
His eyes shift to the next book on the stack and picks it up, holding it towards Stephanie, "Also good stuff, you should try it sometime." His return of Stephanie's previous words seem to go unnoticed which draw's Nick's glance to the blonde. He blinks, "Y-"

Ah. The radio. Well, sone of a b-

He glances to his wrist, "Crap. I forgot I had an appointment." He reaches into his pocket, fishes out a five and sets it, plus the second copy of Poe's works on top of Stephanie's book stack. "May you come to appreciate the works of the father." Taking his assortment, he moves over to the register to make his purchases.

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie's attention is definitely distracted by the news report. She takes the offered book, looking towards the radio but it's going back to playing music. She finally looks down to see what the book is. "Thanks, is this a good one?" she asks.

Though her thoughts are far away from the book at the moment. She just visited Ivy and now she does this. So much for going the good cop routine with her.

Nick adds the book and some money to her stack. "Oh, hey, thanks," she says. She carries her stack to the counter behind him, her plans for the rest of the day changing. "Maybe I'll see you again and can treat you at Los Hermanos," she comments.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It's the complete collection." Nick answers as his two books get rung up, "If it turns out the detective stuff doesn't work out for you, you have the poems at least." He pulls out more money for his own books, handing it over when the total is quoted, "And yes if you like the book, Los Hermanos if we run into each other again."

He glances to his wrist again, frowning. "c-"

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie's phone buzzes as she's paying for the books. She winces, knowing what it is before she checks. "I'm sure I will like them. Thank you very much. It's a really nice thing," Stephanie tells Nick, taking the time to give him a smile so he doesn't mistake her hurry for a lack of appreciation.

"I need to go check on a friend," she says. "Glad you're here and not over there," she says with a glance to the radio. The clerk rings her things up and bags them. "Nice to meet you," Stephanie tells Nick before hurrying out.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick glances over to the radio at Stephanie's comment and gives a nod. "Same here." He responds, not clarifying to which statement he's agreeing with. He takes his time collecting his books, watching as Stephanie heads out, in particular the direction she heads. After a few moments has gone by, the smile fades as he heads to the door himself, making sure to head in the opposite direction.