She Must Improve Her Mind...|Casual (Puck) INACTIV

[lizzie]

Lizzie couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked into the library. This was exactly the sort of place where she would want to work, if she could. She would have to check if that was a possibility, first, so for now she was simply going to enjoy the wonder of being surrounded by so many books.

One thing that came from having a father who loved to teach English literature was a passion for the subject. Lizzie had read practically every book that her father taught long before any of his students did. Smiling to herself and tugging slightly at her jacket, Lizzie began walking through the rows and rows of books, her eyes lingering on a familiar title now and then before she paused to look at a group of history books.

She did not normally find history a fascinating subject, but it would be nice to learn more about the history of America, since she didn't know much and she was now living here. So much of the history one learned in Britain was biased where America was concerned, so it would be interesting to know what the Yanks thought of things. Pulling down one of the thinnest books, Lizzie began to scan the pages as she hummed softly to herself.

[edie]

It'd been quite a while since she'd been in a—what'd'ya call it, filled high with books you don't have to give money for—library. Yes, she couldn't put a finger on when exactly she'd last paid a visit to the smell of old books and elders going "shh!". But knew it was before she became Puck, she knew, before she'd found her way to this city. Back when crinkly pages and teensy tiny print made her hap hap happy, to the point of giggling softly to herself whilst she read. Oh, far too long to have remained a stranger, indeed.

The girl wandered aimlessly through the rows and rows and rows, braiding her wet hair with quick movements that scattered wee little drops of water behind her. Like a bridal train, like breadcrumbs, like her own personal rain cloud. She frowned at the thought. Hadn't she come in here, in to this wonderfully forgotten place, to escape the rain? She had. And so wasn't it vaguely troublesome, to know that the rain had followed her in? Weeeelll...yes. Vaguely so, now-that-you-mention-it. But so little could be done about that, unfortunately. Puck sighed, sorrowfully sucking her damp fingers as she paused in her wanderings. So little, so little, so little. Save for to finish plaiting her hair, and hope no elders shushed her for the noice. Which she did, covertly, tucked up against one shelf with her head perpendicular to the floor, so as not to bother the books. Or the lady currently standing a few yards away, for that matter. Damn.

Oh, she looked a sight, she knew, would surely startle this lady lady lady out of her wits, if she ever looked up from her reading. Thank goodness she didn't. Didn't catch a glimpse of this poor wench dripping all over the floor, known as yours truly. The girl sighed again, a quiet little sigh to express her relief, and then straightened up. There. Now that she was in this full upright position, she could find no reason not to approach the lady. So so so approach she did. Cautiously, though, one foot in front of the other so that not even the elders could fault her.

This was close enough. A good twelve inches away from the lady, so she could either step closer if things went well or dash off if they didn't. It'd be much preferred if the first scenario was the one enacted, please-and-thank-you. "H'lo," she started by way of greeting, resisting the urge to lick her fingers again. "That one any good? Book, I mean."

[lizzie]

Lizzie looked up with a slightly startled expression to see a very odd looking blonde girl standing not a foot away from her. Apparently it had started raining after she had entered the library, because the girl was soaked from head to toe. Smiling sheepishly and glancing back at her book, Lizzie shrugged.

"I suppose some would call it good," she admitted with a chuckle. "Though I usually prefer something a little less made up of dry fact and timelines, such as H.G. Wells. Still...a little history never hurt anyone."

She looked over the girl very carefully and decided that there could be no harm in speaking with her. The child--and she certainly looked and acted childish--seemed rather enchanting in her own way.

"I'm Lizzie, by the way," she said, holding out her hand. "Who might you be?"

[edie]

Oh good. Good good good. Her please-and-thank-you was most certainly the cause of what could only be a most pleasant encounter, given the twinkle in the lady's eyes as she laughed—not so much at her, oh no, more to the side where the laugh could land most pleasantly and they could rejoice in it together—and the jingly jangly tones of said laugh. Hadn't she been brought up well, then, knew her manners? Proof those got you far in this topsy turvy world, oh yes indeed.

She cocked her still-rather-far-from-dry head to the side and pursed her lips as the lady responded. Ahhhh...how nice to have a real opinion voiced, something other than "yes" and something other than "no". She sure knew how to pick 'em, eh? "Well, y'know what they say about hist'ry," the girl responded with a giggle, crossing her arms over herself like a bashful toddler. "Doomed to repeat it and all that lot, less you know your lessons, indeed. How clever of you to read 'bout them, indeed, despite your preferences to the contrary, lady. I'm sure Mister Wells appreciates your sacrifice at the present, oh yes."

So. So so so this was the lovely lady Lizzie then. How brilliant, how fitting. She swept to the floor in a youthful imitation of a curtsey, and looked up. Then frowned slightly. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, she'd completely disregarded Lizzie's extended hand. Where were her manners now? She clasped the hand delicately between her own two, and smiled most charmingly to cover her blunder. Stupid. "I might be many things, lovely lady Lizzie," she said softly, with a considering air. Who was she anyway? Ah yes. "But I am most certainly and definitely Puck, and most certainly and definitely pleased to make your acquaintance."

[lizzie]

A curtsy. How quaint. Lizzie grinned at the girl in front of her as she had her hand shook. Puck? The smile disappeared from her face as she tried to remember where she had heard that name before.

"Your name sounds awfully familiar," she admitted with another sheepish smile. "But I'm sure I've never met you before. And please, it's just Lizzie. I'm not a lady by any stretch of the imagination," she added with a laugh and a glance down at her denim skirt that was at least three years old. "It's nice to meet you, Puck."

[edie]

Puck's eyes went wide. "Not a lady?" she repeated, rising oh so carefully from the floor. Wouldn't want to get Lizzie all wet now, that would most certainly be an obstacle in their relationship. Friendship? She'd have to settle for acquaintanceship at present. Five minutes do not a bosom companion make, no indeed. "Yes, I s'pose you're not titled, so few are these days, eh? But 'tis more than plausible to be a lady informally, Lizzie, oh yes. Mannerisms and demeanor, for one thing, can make one extremely lady like."

Now fully upright, the girl leaned against the bookshelf in a manner attempting-to-mimic-but-most-certainly-far-from casual, arms folded across her chest. The thumb of her right hand found its way into her mouth, where she gently placed it between her front teeth and thought. Goodness: here she was, near to jumping all over a not-a-lady and for what? A mere word? Pull yourself together, lass. Screaming isn't allowed in libraries, and it'd be all your fault if Lizzie chose to exit with plenty of that.

"Appypolly loggies," she murmured after a moment of thought. "Didn't mean to get all shocked-like, oh no. Merely meant the word has more than one meaning, s'all. Merely meant you seem to be definition I was thinking. How forward of me, though, oh yes indeed. Barely know you, and calling you a lady. Most sorry, Lizzie."

The girl considered the cause that had led to the lovely not-a-lady Lizzie to lose her smile. Had they met? No. No no no, unless Puck'd forgotten she didn't like to be called a you-know-what. "I'm flattered that you find my name familiar," she said, with a self conscious grin. Oh, this was going well. "T'is a nickname I've had for some time."

[lizzie]

Lizzie laughed softly at the behavior of this strange girl. She certainly was an odd one. Lizzie couldn't help but wonder if she was a little off in the head, but she pushed that thought away quickly. It wasn't a sign of insanity when a person simply enjoyed talking. For heaven's sake, Lizzie herself could go on talking forever if she chose to do so. Her father and mother were always commenting on that.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said with a wave of her hand. "Just a note, that's all. I never saw myself as being incredibly ladylike."

[edie]

Puck nodded vigorously. Just a note. Just a note not to call Lizzie 'lady', lest the lass get embarrassed or other such improperly unpleasant things. Right. She could do that, odd as it seemed. All her companions enjoyed titles, and she supposed she'd just gotten used to using them oh so liberally in conversation. But she could avoid them, oh yes she could, avoid them for Lizzie's sake.

A pause; the girl rocked back and forth on her heels with some anticipation. What to say what to say what to say say say. Never'd been very good at driving the conversation, poor thing. But it seemed her choices were either do so, or scamper away. "Mayhaps you aren't the best mirror," she offered up. "But really—hunt down one who claims they are, and compare them to the smallest shard cursed with seven years' bad luck. Then you'll know the truth."

She frowned. What was she talking about again? Seemed doubtful her new acquaintance had brought up mirrors. No, certainly her own doing. Hmm. Mirrors meant reflections meant image meant self perception. Righto, then. "So perhaps you are a lady, then, is what I'm trying to say. Only just can't see it. Um." Puck ran her fingers through her hair, undoing her braid and untrapping the remaining moisture. "It's a nice day," she offered up skeptically.

[lizzie]

Lizzie laughed merrily, careful to keep her voice low. She didn't want to be thrown out of the library, after all. Tossing her hair out of her eyes, she shrugged lightly. "Oh, I'm fairly certain that I'm not a lady by any stretch of the imagination."

There was a bit of bitterness in her tone as she thought back to her last meeting with the annoying Mr. Will Darcy. Gritting her teeth, she remembered how he had spoken to her when Jane was sick and she was taking care of her sister.

"A true lady wouldn't simply put in her opinion when it wasn't wanted."

"Lot's of others don't see me as a lady either."

[edie]

Hurm. Puck would never consider herself the most observant of persons, oh no sir, but she could certainly pick up on some things. Such as laughter fading quickly and the grit grate grind of teeth, however quiet, just-for-a-hypothetical-example. Seemed symptoms of unhappiness if you asked her, not that anyone was, here in this oh so quiet place. Mayhaps that'd been the reason for her absence? A demonstration 'gainst the library's truly horrible rules and regulations when it came to noise noise noise? Quite possible. Anyway.

The point remained that Lizzie seemed upset, s'all. And would she stand for that? Oh no, no, no. Knew she should wait longer on making these sort of decisions, indeed, but she liked this not-a-lady. Liked her manners, liked her laugh, liked her bashful sense of self. So t'was only natural to want to cheer her up, only logical conclusion the girl could come to, given her tendency for whatever-they-call-the-opposite-of-logic. "Whatsa matter?" she asked her, rummaging through her many many many pockets. "And don't tell me nothing, not a thing my dear Puck, or any other sort of truthless rubbish, please. Can see there's something, oh yes, something troubling you very much so, Lizzie."

There we go. She pulled out a definitively-large-and-rust-red-linen handkerchief with a cheerful grin of triumph. Still a little damp from the rain, but it'd do. The girl gave it a good shake, before offering it to her companion. "A pity, quite so, that you don't seem to know anyone with a well stretched imagination," Puck said, after considering Lizzie's words. "Since I've come to understand that's the only kind to have."

[lizzie]

"It's nothing," Lizzie said in an attempt to convince herself as well as the strange Puck, and no doubt failing. "I just had a bad experience with this one guy that's left me with a bit of a...bad view of myself."

That...was putting it mildly. Mr. Darcy was not the most welcoming person in the world, and she insisted that she still hated him. And yet...She couldn't help wondering about that. How could she not wonder?

"Sometimes I think that men are the easiest person to judge and then they turn around and do something so...out of character!"

[edie]

She gave Lizzie a pout. “Now, what on earth did I say ‘bout nothing? Said t’wasn’t acceptable, oh yes, I do b’lieve I did, now didn’t I. So’s you might as well stop all that right now, please-and-thank-you.” Ridiculous was most certainly the only word fit to describe how the girl looked right now, indeed: still quite-far-from-dried-out, left hand on her hip, right hand shaking her giant handkerchief for emphasis. Looked like a mom, Puck realized, more than worthy of a word like ridiculous. For who’d ever mistake her for a lady-with-maternal-instincts, who who who? Wouldn’t she like to know, yes.

“Anyway,” the girl continued, with a giggle at her prolly-too-soon-to-be-calling-her-this-but-hell friend’s outburst. “Men so seldom have any constant character that t’is silly to expect anything from them. ‘Cept for unpredict’bil’ty. Though I don’t truly see how you can anticipate that, oh no. So best you can do is to not pin too much on them. Hopes, dreams, those sorta things. Eh?”

Though she was in no position to be judging Lizzie’s boy troubles, now that she thought ‘bout it. Had her own unpredictable gent who did as he pleased, and she kept thinking he wouldn’t. Curious, how she could forget such a thing as that. Oh, yes, yes, yes, didn’t know what to make of it. Might want to consider that later, mayhaps even discuss it with him? Her lord could be nothing but helpful in such an investigation, after all. He could do anything.