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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 14, 2012 22:04:05 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • • "Chyah! You bet your sweet pigtails we've got one here!" Claire said with excitement in her voice and a great big smile planted on her face. She was just glad to get away from the butterflies. She just was not graceful enough at the moment to be around them without getting into trouble with them. They just weren't her thing. At all!
"Right this way! And in fact, I think we even have a few fossils with their prints in them. The Hydrosaurus like to stay near water and they sort of remind me of big lizards! Well, probably because dinosaurs looked like lizards in the first place, am I right?" Claire laughed and nudged Griffin with her elbow jokingly as they headed towards the reptilian section of the museum. They carried a whole bunch of fossils and bones. Most were just displays but some were actually real! Claire always found that interesting and just downright cool!
This part of the museum was darker, the lights dimmed down and it was even much cooler in this area. As they entered this section of the museum they were greeted by an icy breeze from the air conditioner that was blasting through the doorway. It helped to keep mold from growing in the corners of displays and whatnot, especially on extremely humid days. It could get pretty warm and dewy at times.
Claire knew exactly where each display was. It was part of her job, afterall! To know where everything was and to keep track of it all. She had to be sure nothing was ever stolen. "Okay!" She clapped her hands together and did a little pivot so she could face the pair of them and get them to stop walking. They were there! "This here.." She gestured with both of her hands towards a glass exhibit which held bones that had been put together and were displaying a Hydrosaurus, along with pictures on a little podium with a small little fact sheet and the history of the species.
"You know these weren't the only cool things found here in Scriptor Bay. It's been said that there were the bones of men found, but they were hollow and very light. It's been told that they have the exoskeleton of an aviary, or a bird. There's a whole lot of controversy on whether it's true or not, but it's a brand new display that we haven't shown yet. Some say it was just a skeleton of a man and the skeleton of a giant bird one on top of the other. But then there's controversy saying that it was actually an angel that came here and lived like a humble human being, like you and I." Claire began to describe. It was one of the brand new displays that they were receiving. She wasn't sure where it had come from but it wasn't uncovered just yet. But there had been a bit of talk about it and it made her uneasy. She figured it would definitely keep the girl busy, though.
She was planning on asking the owner if they could not display it but she knew she'd just be told it was a part of their history just like everything else in the museum. She didn't want to see people starting to believe in the tale of the Guardians. It would turn into a mess. It was best kept just a story. But Claire had no doubt that the skeleton they had was that of an old Guardian who'd died long ago.
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • •
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 19, 2012 23:43:25 GMT -5
Griffin couldn't believe Claire's good mood as they wandered away from the winged insects and went towards the dinosaur exhibit. Even the girl they were with seemed amused suddenly by Claire's strange antics. "You're right!" He chided back playfully as he received a nudge from his female colleague. Claire was playful sometimes when she felt like it, something Griffin found to be endearing about the young woman. She had many strange characteristics about her, but her playful moods made her more enjoyable to be around, and she gave off an heir of confidence that he felt drawn to. "And even though they looked a great deal like lizards, it's speculated that they are more closely related to Aves, or birds. In fact, many may have even donned feathers." Griffin explained as he took long, slow strides with the girls. "Really?" Came the girls voice and Griffin simply nodded her head. "Okay! This here.." Claire started bu Griffin felt his heart flutter with excitement and he cut her off, "..Is the Hydrosaurus. Now, not all of these are real bones." He explained, bending down a little to be the same height as Isabelle. "You see, sometimes when the archaeologists dig up ones they only find a few of them. Scavengers could have taken them and eaten them or moved them elsewhere, but it's very rare to actually find an entire skeleton, so what they do is they recreate the missing bones using s special plaster." His fingers moved over the case, sort of tracing the skeletons structure. "It's hard to tell which bones are the real ones and which are fake, but only a small fraction of the bones are from the real dinosaur. In fact, his entire tail, or I should say her entire tail, was reproduced." Isabelle seemed interested but a little antsy. It was sort of like being at school, learning so much, but it was better because she got to see it and Claire and Griffin were much cooler than her teacher. As they continued on and Claire began her next statement, Griffin felt his palms grow clammy, and his heart do a few little jumps. The Avisaille community was often careful about the remains of their deceased. They were always cremated, and everything was destroyed. Often, family members would keep a feather as a token, but the ashes were usually spread at sea where their spirits could be free for eternity. He gulped as she continued on, clearing his throat when she had finished. "I'm sure it's fake." He said softly, more to himself than anything else, trying not to show how uneasy the topic had made him. Isabelle was very excited about the idea of an angel having fallen and seeing the skeleton. She jumped a little looking between her two tour guides. "Can we see it? Is it here?" Her eyes landed on Griffin who looked back briefly, and then allowed his eyes to move to Claire's. It was the first time in his existence that he felt uncomfortable with the thought of an exhibit in the museum. It shouldn't be displayed, but he understood why it would be. "Unfortunately I cannot make that call." He said softly, running a hand through his sandy hair.
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 20, 2012 21:06:10 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
Claire disagreed with showing the Avisaille skeleton. Sure, maybe not all of the bones were actually there but it was still something that made her uneasy. What if someone had found a skeleton of her kind? She wasn't exactly sure what would happen there. She'd never had to bury anyone of her species so she was unsure how that worked. Did they bury them? Burn them? She wasn't as much of an expert in that field as Cheyenne was, and she made a mental note to ask Cheyenne all about it when she called her up later on.
"You sure? Sure you want to see it?" Claire asked, showing false excitement just to get the girl to not worry about her school leaving her there in the museum. She'd met Griffin's gaze and noticed it seemed a little off. Was he stand offish about the Avi skeleton the way she was? That wasn't very likely. Not like he was one of her kind! He was so... Griffin!
"Sure, a little sneak peak never hurt anybody, am I right?" The female shrugged her shoulders and started to walk again. "See that giant curtain over there?" Claire pointed towards a long velvet curtain that hung from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. It had just been completely as far as being set up. It also had been kept a secret from most of the staff, not wanting anyone to run their mouths and spread the word before they had the chance to reveal it themselves. Of course, while Claire's boss was on a conference call with the higher ups, Claire had just entered their office when they were discussing it over speaker phone and overheard it all. It was suppose to bring more profit to the museum and become a tourist highlight.
Claire believed it was going to ruin the museum.
"Okay the curtain has to stay up, because only a few people know about it right now. And scout's honor you won't tell anyone, deal?" Claire held up her index and middle fingers that were touching each other, the way that scouts usually did when they were taking an oath of.. wood chopping? She was never in girl scouts she had no clue!
When she got to the curtain she looked around, but the museum was deserted at this point. It was well past the afternoon flow. "And now ladies and gentleman, the moment we've all been waiting for! The one, the only, birdmaaaan!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and started to make a quiet cheering sound as if there were a crowd. "The crowd goes wild, folks!" She said all in good fun before she reached for the curtain and began to pull it away to reveal a display that was a simple glass casing holding a velvety purple backdrop, making the skeletal figure stand out in comparison.
Claire took a step back and stood beside the other two and let out a small little sigh. "..This isn't right." She said under her breath, not sure if either of them heard her. It was just a simple phrase she uttered while standing there looking at the exhibit with false admiration.
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • •
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 20, 2012 22:59:53 GMT -5
"Right!" Isabelle practically cheered with a little jump. This was the coolest trip EVER! Sure, she was separated from her class and they couldn't seem to find them, but she was going to get to see an exhibit no one else had! She was special! first kid to see it, and she could hardly contain herself! Griffin wished he could share in the child's excitement, but only dread filled him as Claire pointed out the curtain. He himself hadn't been asked to set it up. In fact, he hadn't even been told about the exhibit personally. One evening the man had allowed his curiosity to get the better of him and he went to the new exhibit that had been rumored about, and peaked. The skeleton had just been brought and he could still remember the sinking panic that filled his heart when he saw what he had. A human skeleton wit petite, fragile looking bones, donning a pair of birds wings. He'd never seen the skeleton of one of his own before, but the sight upset him greatly. They weren't supposed to exist, the skeletons. The Avisaille themselves weren't supposed to exist, but they did. Well, they weren't supposed to exist in that realm. "Okay the curtain has to stay up, because only a few people know about it right now. And scout's honor you won't tell anyone, deal?" Isabelle was practically jumping out of her skin and she held her fingers up, mimicking Claire's. "Scouts honor!" Griffin bowed his head but went along with it. It was his own fault for allowing this tour to happen. He should have kept his mouth shut, not bothered to tell Claire, but in all honesty the exhibit would be open to the public soon enough anyway, and then the world would see, but what could he do about it? Nothing. If he sabotaged the exhibit he would likely lose his job and worse; ti was private property and if found guilty he could face incarceration, which meant he would need to flee the country. Would it be worth it? Giving up his life as he knew it to help protect the secret of the Guardians for a little longer? He thought maybe he should talk to a friend about it... maybe they could come up with a plan. "And now ladies and gentleman, the moment we've all been waiting for! The one, the only, birdmaaaan!" "Ooooohhh..." Came the girls voice as she stood in awe of what she was seeing. "Is it real?" Isabelle asked and Griffin wasn't sure how to answer. Yes. Technically it was real, but the sound of Claire's voice made him sigh as well. "It's hard to say." Came the mans voice as he looked sadly at the skeleton. He kneeled down to see it from the girls perspective. "Men don't have wings, but we often like to dream we could fly. There's a chance someone made this. They would have had to have used great craftsmanship, but it's of course possible. Never believe everything you see, Isabelle." He looked at his ancestor, wondering how long it had been since he passed, and if anyone had known. How could their kind have been so careless? "Then again who knows. It's one of life's many great mysteries. We will never know if it's real or not." He knew it was real, though. He wished it didn't have to be so secret. "Believe whatever it is your heart tells you to believe." It was his only way of letting doubt fill her. He stood back up and turned to Claire. "Excuse me." He said softly, his head lowered slightly though his eyes remained fixated on her. "If you don't mind I'll just wait outside until you're both finished." A hand moved up to gently cup her shoulder in a gesture of friendliness, before he moved past her. Something about the remains made him sad, as if they belonged to his own brother, only he had none. Perhaps it was the mere shock of knowing one of his own died without anyone ever knowing.
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 21, 2012 16:41:08 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
Claire frowned a bit at the exhibit and then looked down at the little girl who just asked if it was real. When Griffin was finished talking she threw her two cents in. "Well we've got the myths, right? Everyone I know was told the stories as a kid. But what do you think? Do you think it's real? Because me personally, I've never seen anybody walking around with wings or any flying birdman, and I'm what, twenty-four? Have you ever seen anyone like that?" She asked the girl and then looked up at Griffin.
She sensed a bit of tension and uneasiness coming from her coworker. Did he just find the display kind of gross, since it was 'human' bones instead of an animal's? She watched the back of Griffin's head as he walked away from the two of them, leaving her with the little girl. She looked back to Isabelle and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Hey Isabelle, I have to go ask Griffin about something. Can you do me a super awesome secret favor? Guard the display, okay? If anyone walks by make sure they don't get a peek at what's behind the curtain, deal?" She asked and acted all surprised again like it was a big deal, like she was giving this little girl an actual security detail at the museum. "I'll be right back."
She patted the girl on the shoulder and then walked after Griffin, her heels echoing in the room as she tried to make sure she took light steps so it wouldn't be too loud. Why couldn't the floors have carpet?! When she left that area of the museum she looked around and then spotted her coworker. "Hey." She called to him and made her way for him. "Are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost in there. That or like you were about to hurl."
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • •
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 21, 2012 20:50:11 GMT -5
"...personally, I've never seen anybody walking around with wings or any flying birdman....Have you ever seen anyone like that?" Isabelle had heard the city's myths before. She and her friends thought it would be really cool if it was real. Ti think that their city was protected by Guardians that had come from a tree, but she had never seen anything to make her believe it was all true. "No." She answered a little glumly as her light brown eyes swept over the bird mans remains. She had never seen anyone with wings, except during Halloween but she knew those were fake wings. It was still nice to dream they were real. When Claire asked her to guard the display she stood up a little taller and nodded. "Deal!" She chirped feeling very adult with her new responsibility. She looked around to see if anyone was around but it was only them. She secretly hoped someone would come in so she could shut the curtains and tell them it was off limits, but had a feeling no one would be coming around. Meanwhile Griffin stood quietly in the hall, staring blankly ahead, his mind buzzing with thoughts about what he'd seen. The display shouldn't exist. The remains weren't something to be gawked at by passerbys. It deserved a proper burial and he wondered how he could do that, how he could take the precious skeleton and give it the respect it deserved. "Hey." The kind voice brought him back to reality and he turned his head to look down at the approaching girl, a gentle, inviting smile crossing his lips. "I'm fine." He assured her softly, letting his face move forward and lowered it towards the ground. "Sorry about that, I guess I just wasn't ready to see something like that." He said truthfully, not wanting to lie even if he wanted to skirt around the truth a bit. "You know, you grow up hearing about the legends but there was never any proof. Like Santa Clause. What if they found the workshop at the North Pole? What if someone caught him on video?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders. "There's something so hopeful about believing and wondering, like maybe, just maybe it's true. Ignorance is bliss, Claire." His eyes seemed sad as they turned back to Claire, as if he were searching for some sort of an answer that didn't exist. "It others me to see it. If it's truly real, he doesn't deserve to be on display. He deserves a proper burial, he deserves the respect given to any deceased individual."
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 22, 2012 23:11:00 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
"Yeah, this takes away the magic of it all, doesn't it?" Claire scrunched up her nose and nodded her head, agreeing to what he was saying. "I mean, if they found the North Pole, I know I would be really upset. Think about Santa - do you think he wants to have the press on his door taking pictures of his secret workshop? There'd be Operation Red Sleigh.. the Department of Defense confiscating Santa's helpers and making them work on nuclear warfare!" Claire's voice had gotten a little loud at the end and echoed while her arms were outstretched out from her sides. She looked around but knew the museum was pretty deserted and she cleared her throat and dropped her arms back down to her sides. "Got a bit worked up there."
"I think some people look up to these Guardians, you know?" Claire said and let out a small little sigh, leaning to the side and letting her eyes wander back into the room that held the exhibit both to keep an eye on Isabelle and also because she just couldn't believe they had that exhibit. "They hope that they're real, and they hope they're truly looking out for them and their community." Claire didn't think this, though. She never thought she was more important than anyone else. In a way she thought it was more of a curse.
"It's scheduled to be shown this Saturday. The benefit? That's the unveiling party." In the employee break room there was a bulletin board where flyers were always posted. Some were posted by other employees trying to sell property they owned or inviting everyone to a party. It was okay to post what you wanted on there, just as long as you didn't post anything on yellow paper. Yellow paper meant it was an announcement for Staff from Management, notifying them of all upcoming events. There had been one notifying the employees of the benefit. "I have to go to it. I just don't agree with having an exhibit that might be a fake, you know?"
She usually liked the benefits they had. Most of them were very elite charities, where all the rich stiffs of Scriptor Bay came to the museum and offered money. In turn, they were allowed first showing of new exhibits. And Claire always had to be there to make sure everything went smoothly. She didn't mind because she liked dressing up, and she was always allowed a plus one although she never brought anyone but her sister sometimes. Cheyenne liked to hit on the rich men and sometimes it paid off. She remembered one time where Cheyenne and an owner of a chain of jewelry stores in the state hit it off and he ended up sending her a pair of diamond earrings. Only her sister. Claire never got gifts like that. She didn't get gifts period.
"I know Frank didn't invite everyone, but if you didn't get an invite to it then you could come with me if you want. I mean, it's totally fine by me. I always get a plus one to these things." She started to think, what would happen if the display just... disappeared?
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • •
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 23, 2012 22:17:54 GMT -5
His eyes stayed locked on her as she rambled on and on. There was something sweet about her and the way she went on like that. It was endearing in a way he didn't normally see. "Got a bit worked up there." He chuckled and shrugged. "Maybe a little.." He teased softly. He listened carefully to her words, a look of concentration on his face. His brows knit slightly together and his arms folded lightly over his chest. What she said was true; the Guardians created a sense of hope for the citizens of the city. "Like super heroes." He added very softly, almost under his breath. Was there really that much weight placed on the Guardian myth? He knew it was true. He knew the people thought that way, and why shouldn't they? It was nice to think someone was keeping them safe. He knew he would like to feel that way, but he didn't. Not that he didn't feel safe there in the city, but he as one of the ones supposedly protecting it. "It's scheduled to be shown this Saturday. The benefit? That's the unveiling party." His heart sank lower. He had until Saturday to get rid of it if he even did! And she made a point, no one could prove it was real. they shouldn't have this! He felt anger surge inside of him, in addition to the hopelessness ad sadness he felt. It wasn't right! They needed to do something about this! "I know Frank didn't invite everyone, but if you didn't get an invite to it then you could come with me if you want. I mean, it's totally fine by me. I always get a plus one to these things." His eyes focused on her but it was like he was seeing right through her. Could he sabotage the benefit somehow? Would Claire help him? Then he could be there the day of to see, to watch it all go up in smoke. What was he thinking!? It was insanity! Sabotaging Museum exhibits! It was illegal! It was crazy! It HAD to be done! He turned his whole body towards he and grabbed at her shoulders. "Claire!" He hissed softly, his eyes darting from left to right to see if anyone was there in the corridor with them. "What...if there was no display on Saturday?" He asked in such a quite voice he wasn't sure she could hear. "What if it was gone?"
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 24, 2012 3:07:03 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
Claire had been so consumed in her ramblings she didn't even hear the superhero comment from Griffin. She was swimming in her own thoughts, wondering about the exhibit and wondering if he'd say yes to her or not. Why wouldn't he say yes? Claire and Griffin were friends, they could totally go to this benefit as friends and everything would be just dandy. Not like it would be a date or anything because that would just be ridiculous!
When Griffin grabbed Claire's shoulders it snapped her out of her thoughts and brought her back to reality. Her eyes went wide with surprise and she stared at him, stiffening up like a board and listening to what he had to say. "What... if there was no display on Saturday?" Claire didn't blink. She didn't even move. She just watched him and listened to him. "What if it was gone?" Was he some kind of mind reader? A wizard, maybe?! She had been thinking the exact same thing!
"...so.. is that a yes?" She asked and squirmed her way out of his grip just to put a little space between them. Not that she wanted to exactly. He smelled really good. Even if she didn't feel the pull of a full moon causing her senses to go on hiatus, she'd still be able to smell him. She would've loved to keep standing that close, but since they were at work it was just the right thing to do to pull away a bit.
Her eyes moved up and down the hall and listening for a minute to see if she could hear anyone coming. But unless there were stealthy ninjas lurking through the halls they were alone and nobody would be able to listen in on their conversation for the moment. "What do you mean by 'gone'?" She asked trying to have her tone of voice match his, keeping it no greater than a whisper. She was confident he could hear her though, since she was leaning towards him and flailing her arms around. The arm flailing with Claire usually meant business or she was flustered. Now it was a bit of both though.
"Like disappeared? Someone going to Houdini it out of here?" She scrunched up her features and gave him a look like he was out of his mind. "You want to STEAL--" She realized her voice was escalating again and stopped herself so she could lower her tone before it caused attention to the pair of them. "--steal the skeleton? What are you going to do with it, hide it in your closet? Bury it? I think that's what happened the first time. Negligence is what I'm assuming caused it to be buried in the first place. I mean don't --" Claire stopped herself from saying something she knew she would instantly regret and took a step back so she could take a deep breath.
Her hands came up in front of her face and she paced backwards and forwards a bit in front of Griffin and exhaled, dropping her hands down to her sides again. "Look, these bones are probably just a fake, right?" She chuckled nervously and shrugged her shoulders, her head tipping to the right and resting on her shoulder before she dropped them back down again. "It's not like it's real.." It looked real enough to her. Although she wouldn't be able to tell unless she got into the display and was able to actually feel or even sniff out the bones. She'd be able to pick up the authenticity of them with the proper schnozz sniffing them out.
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • • [/font][/size][/right]
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 25, 2012 1:35:36 GMT -5
When Claire asked if it was a yes he gave a simple little nod. Of course he wanted to go! It was the perfect excuse to get in there, coming as her date, unless he asked to work it. Plus he enjoyed Claire's company so it wouldn't become awkward at any point, unless Claire went on one of her little ramble, nervous, awkward fits. She didn't have them nearly as much these days, but they happened. They definitely still happened. "What do you mean by 'gone'? Like disappeared? Someone going to Houdini it out of here? You want to STEAL--" He watched her piece it all together silently, his eyes moving with her as she paced. She looked a little frazzled, like she was piecing together a puzzle, which in a sense she was. She was on the same page, he could read it all over her face, but he made no moved to let her know that she was getting on track with him "--steal the skeleton?" He gave a short nod and was about to talk when she continued on about what he would do with it. He knew exactly what he would do with it. "Look,these bones are probably just a fake, right? It's not like it's real.." His brows furrowed a little into a look of concentration and his lips pursed ever so slightly. A hand moved up to his hair, which was starting to get just a little too long for his liking, and swept through it, the inch long strands falling back into place as his hand slowly slid back towards the nape of his neck. "Maybe they are." He said in a soft, hesitant voice. It's true, there was a chance they were, but they looked pretty darn real to him. "Claire, I.." He licked his lips, lost for words suddenly. How did you tell someone they were probably real? How could he explain that to her without giving away his secret? He looked her in the eye. Her piercing green eyes were trustworthy. He knew he could trust her, but no one was to know. No one. Plus he hardly knew her. He couldn't. He couldn't say! He couldn't ever remember wanting to tell someone so much, though. "I don't think they're fake." He sad in a soft voice, his eyes drifting to the ground, knowing he needed to follow it with something that didn't make him seem so suspicious. "You've heard the stories. You grew up on them like I have. It's not right, and it's our responsibility to do what's right. If they're real, he deserves respect. He deserves a proper burial. If it's fake? We shouldn't allow the public to be led on like that." He bit his lower lip as his gaze moved back into the room for a moment, watching Isabelle skip around in front of the display, obviously bored with it now. "I'm sorry I put you in this position. You shouldn't risk your job here for something like this. We should just let it go." He offered quietly, knowing he would have to find another way to get rid of the display. Claire couldn't be involved! And he had to make sure there were no fingers pointed at him after the fact, otherwise he would be in a world of trouble!
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 29, 2012 19:43:36 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
Claire first began to wonder why Griffin seemed so concerned about the bones. What did he have to lose when they were revealed to the public? But then she had her answer from him; hope. The Guardians were just a myth that surrounded the city and its people. It was magical and it was a symbol of hope for some. What Santa Clause was for children. What Batman was for Gotham City, or Superman for Metropolis. The Guardians were to Scriptor Bay what the Jedi were in Star Wars! They brought hope! Although it wasn't as if Claire was running around in a superhero costume saving lives. She didn't do much of anything to that effect, actually. The tree was sealed. There was no threat to anybody out there.
That was her reason to keep the bones hidden from the public. Because if they became public and Claire was ever found out, there was no way for her to protect herself. She didn't know how to fight. Sure, she could run. She could run fast. But Scriptor Bay was her home, and even if she tried to run and hide, the tree would always draw her back. She wasn't as strong as Cheyenne was. She knew Cheyenne would be able to take care of herself if that ever happened. But not Claire. She couldn't risk being caught.
"You're right. Whether they're real or not it will only do more harm than good." Claire said and gave a little nod of her head. "And who knows? It could just be some poor guy who died ages ago and they dug up an old bird or something along with him. It could be a setup." Claire offered and shrugged her shoulders, feeling bad for whoever it was that was encased in the display. She figured it was real. If that had been a bird then it must have been the biggest freakin' bird ever!
"But we can't talk about this here. We should do it later. Somewhere that's not going to be the place we're planning on robbing?" Claire offered, keeping her voice down still and constantly glancing around as if someone were going to poke their head around the corner and catch them talking about stealing the display. That would just be great, wouldn't it?! Claire couldn't lose her job over this. She loved working there. "We have to be sure we're not going to get caught. We might need some backup.. I'll talk to my sister. She's been called a home wrecker a couple times before, so if she can steal husbands then she'll definitely be some help to us." Of course, that sounded strange the way that Claire described it so she held her hands up to show she wasn't done. "That- sort of not what I meant! I mean, she's a great distraction? Wow, I used the wrong example there, didn't I?" She shook her head. Why was talking to Griffin so difficult sometimes?!
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • • [/font][/size][/right]
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 29, 2012 23:34:05 GMT -5
Griffin agreed they shouldn't be discussing the heist right there in the museum. It was bad form, and who knew if anyone would pass by and overhear without them even knowing. Plus, hey had a child accompanying them. Sure, Isabelle was playing around and out of ear shot, but that didn't make their conversation any more appropriate. He gave a nod glad that Claire seemed to be on board with him. If only she knew she was likely related in some way to the bones in the room. What would Claire think of him then? Would she freak out and never speak to him again? Claire didn't seem like that type of person. Knowing her she would find it wildly fascinating and ask him loads of questions and talk about it constantly. Then, she would accidentally tell someone in a rant. It was a shame, really. He wanted to be able to trust his secret with her. It would be nice to have a dear friend outside of his bird community, but it just wasn't so. No Avisaille stayed friends long term with anyone outside of their species, for it was far too dangerous to let others in. He supposed it must not be unheard of. There were surely Avis out there who had told non-Avis about their secret, but he knew none. If he had he would ask for advice, but as it so happened, he did not and there was no advice to be given. It was best to leave it alone. Despite her kindness and likely understanding, he simply could not give in to his personal desires to confide in the girl. He also didn't like the idea of including Claire's sister. The more people they included in their plan, the more people would suffer if things panned out to their disadvantage. He knew if they went through with this and were caught he would need to leave the city for a few decades until he was certain a new staff ran the museum and the majority of the city. He couldn't risk imprisonment, but he couldn't risk Claire's either. These were all things they would have to discuss later, because the museum, as Claire had mentioned, was not the place for this type of discussion "Alright." He finally said. "Tomorrow the museum closes at five. If you're available I would like to invite you over to my home so we can discuss it further. I can make supper." He offered softly, not sure if he should invite Claire's sister. "I don't know if we should include others, but you know your sister better than I do. I'll leave that to your discretion. She's welcome to accompany you if you would like."
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Post by CLAIRE MCLEESTER on Jan 30, 2012 0:59:25 GMT -5
When she was just a girlSHE EXPECTED THE WORLD• • • • • • • • • • • •
Claire nearly went into shock when Griffin invited her over to his house and offered to make dinner. Was that a date?! No! Of course it wasn't a date! They were going to be making plans to figure out how to steal the display! That definitely wasn't the type of talk you had during a date. So Claire felt herself feeling a bit disappointed, but then again she was still happy to spend some time with Griffin outside of work. She couldn't believe how much she liked him.
"Supper? Like, food?" Claire asked stupidly and then gave him a big smile and her raspy laugh. "I mean, of course it's food! What else would supper be, am I right?" She rolled her shoulders in a shrug and started to do her little side shift dance that she did when she was nervous, changing her weight from one foot to the other and then back again. "Yeah, of course! I'd love to come over tomorrow after work."
At the mention of Claire's sister her smile sort of faltered a bit. Would she want to bring Cheyenne with her? Griffin didn't want to include anyone else, but Claire couldn't do this without Cheyenne. Cheyenne was the one with the courage, she'd be the one with the drive and motivation to get it done. Claire was the brains. And if all else failed, Claire could get Cheyenne to cause a big distraction if anything went wrong.
"Because of the circumstances and the weight of our situation I think that Cheyenne would be a good addition to this to be completely truthful. Trust me there's nobody more perfect for the job." Cheyenne could turn into a lion and chase everyone out of the museum? That could be an option.. it would definitely be something she'd have to discuss with Chey. Not like she could come right out and tell that to Griffin. "She's like a.. old guy magnet. Old men with wives and money seem to flock to her. Maybe it's her teeth? I've never stopped to ask them why they do it, they just do." Claire rambled on as if she were trying to up sell her sister. In a way she felt like she was.
"I'll see if she'd like to come. I mean, she is coming over tonight and I was going to talk to her anyway. So we'll see what she says." A part of Claire wanted Cheyenne to come, but then another part of her wanted her sister to stay far away from Griffin's place as possible. She wanted her sister there to keep her from ranting and raving the way she was now, but then again she didn't want her sister there embarrassing her in front of Griffin. Cheyenne had a tendency to do that. Often.
"Oh! Shoot!" Claire shut her eyes and cringed before pointing back towards the display. "What about.. Isabelle? I totally showed her the display! And what about that bus? Are they planning on getting her tonight?" Claire reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, hitting a button at the top to get it out of sleep mode. No missed calls.
But it flew away from her reachSO SHE RAN AWAY IN HER SLEEP• • • • • • • • • • • •
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Post by GRIFFIN CARTWRIGHT on Jan 30, 2012 9:48:37 GMT -5
He should have expected the awkward, nervous reaction from Claire when he mentioned supper, but he simply hadn't. He was asking her to spend time with him outside of work, something coworkers didn't really do often, he supposed. Of course she was acting this way. He felt bad for a moment but then brushed it off as one of Claire's many strange, but adorable quirks. "It would be wonderful to have you." His tone sounded almost amused as he said it, and her reaction lightened the situation for a moment. He wasn't sure what he would make yet, but figured he had a day to prepare. Maybe fish. He knew Claire liked fish, and he was certainly a fan.
"I'll make sure to have enough food for if your sister decides to come. She's welcome over." He still wasn't wild about the idea of having a third on this case, but if there was someone he could trust, he would ask them to tag along. Perhaps he would bring a friend along? He would need to think about it.
When Claire mentioned the girl he nodded. "Perhaps we should bring her to the front. That bus should be here soon I would think." It had been quite some time since Claire had made that call. Enough time that a backup bus could arrive and have all the children transferred on and brought back to the museum, in his opinion.
"Isabelle?" Griffin called out and the girl stopped what she was doing and looked up at him quizzically, like a confused puppy. "It's time to go." She nodded and turned, looking at the skeleton one last time before scampering towards them. "Where's my class?" she asked, still having no clue they had even left her there. "I think they're up front. Why don't we go check?" The girl gave a little nod and started walking towards the hall, Griffin following behind her and giving Claire a small grin. "Thank you." He whispered softly in her direction as he lay a friendly hand on her arm to show his gratitude for her understanding his strong feelings towards this situation. Now it was time to start plotting.
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