Summary:Angela, Gwen, and Miles all wind up having a chat in Angela's Studio, and things get lively. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's Friday, and more importantly for a lot of people, it's a payday! While the studio itself is pretty empty of customers, Angela has a laptop open on her counter, answering emails while keeping one eye absently on the store.
Currently she's wearing a white faux-turtleneck and denim jeans, her hair tied back and pinned in place by a pair of sticks. She's also typing out a quick email to presumably a would-be customer, an absent smile on her face.
Following the address on a business card, Gwen has decided that sine she's out of class early today, it'd be a great time to come and visit Angela's studio, and at least get to check the place out. She wanders in wearing an ESU shirt and a knee-length skirt, with a jacket of course because it's a bit cool outside; and of course a backpack slung over one shoulder.
As she enters, she pulls the earbuds out of her ears and kills the music her phone was playing (can't go anywhere without that afterall). "Hello Angela!" she greets as she lets the door swing shut behind her (without letting it slam, mind you).
Angela looks up at that, and grins brightly, "Hey… Gwen, right?" She waves a bit, "Just finishing up a question from a customer here. Trying to explain that I don't really do 'furry armor'… I mean, at first I thought he just meant like, fur-lined but um…" She shakes her head a little, then shrugs, "Far be it from me to judge, but that's just not what I do." She pauses, then looks over at Gwen, "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for this weekend."
"Gwen it is, guilty as charged." She perks an eyebrow upwards. "Furry armor, hunh? So like, for someone to wear while they're pretending to be an animal?" Yep, Gwen has the internet. She chuckles, and shrugs, "Well, I'm not judging either, to each their own. If we judged people for their hobbies I'm sure none of us would get out unscathed." She meanders up to where Angela is working, but isn't about to pry about the e-mail. "How's the studio today? Looks like a cool place, if I may say so."
Angela grins, "It's pretty good. And thanks, I like to keep the things that didn't sell out front, in case they get a buyer later." She chuckles, "The number of times I've had a cancelled order due to a boyfriend or girlfriend of the client find out how much I charge… but, they're all custom-made and 100% authentic. Well, using some modern techniques, but I don't have an assembly line here." She looks curiously at Gwen, "You don't really strike me as the person that'd be interested in a sword, though… but I've been wrong before about those things."
"That is really crappy," Gwen observes. "Making an order and then cancelling it, especially when you put in a lot of time to make custom pieces? That's… pretty inconsiderate to your time and talents." She folds her arms across her chest, "Don't suppose you could charge people up front? I mean there has to be some sort of security for your time spent." She pauses, and her expression softens once more, "And… no, I've no idea how to use a sword, at all, so the most I'd ever do with one is hang it on my wall… which seems like an afront to a decent sword, somehow. But I can definitely appreciate skilled work!"
Angela chuckles, "Oh, there's a fifty percent down payment that is not refundable, unless I'm feeling particularly lenient." She grins, "But even then, some people still will cancel, but there are some options for me. And well, not many people know how to use a sword well, this day and age. Those that do, well, I don't really lack for commissions." Standing behind the counter, Angela gives Gwen a wry look, "Which is good, as SoHo rent isn't cheap."
Expand your horizons. That's what the guidance counselor at ESU had told him. Sure, he had good art work. For a street artist. But he should look at other mediums, and other styles. So, with the soft ringing of the bell that announces another arrival, Miles Morales arrives at the shop, carrying a small sheet of paper. That whole 'proof you visited' thing.
As he steps into the studio, he looks around with a low whistle. "This must be that crazy LARP stuff that Jubilation was going on about." he admits with a look around as he reaches up towards one of the swords, but doesn't quite touch it. Then he's glancing towards the counter, and gives a wave - though he doesn't recognize Gwen from behind.
Well, it's true; blonde university girls probably do all look pretty similar from behind, and Gwen hasn't gone out of her way to make herself stand out that way. She does recognize Miles though, and spins around upon hearing his voice. "Oh! Hey Miles! How're you?" She takes a step to the side, to give Miles room to come and join the conversation. "Angela, this is Miles, who I just met recently. He's a super cool artist." She gestures towards Angela, "And Miles, this is Angela, who's a super cool blacksmith, who I also just met recently."
Gwen pauses, and puts on a wry grin. "If this keeps up I'm going to have to turn in my introvert card." She shakes her head, "Anyway, it's good to hear you're taking deposits, Angela, I was worried for you for a moment there."
Angela waves at Miles, "Hey there, Miles. Feel free to look around. Like I was telling Gwen, these are just things that had the commissions fall through, one way or another." However, once it registers that he's an artist, her lips curve into a more genuine smile, "And it's always nice to meet another artist. What sort of work do you do?"
"Maybe we'll just have to give our Introvert cards to each other." Miles gives Gwen a quick wink, though that's about as far as his coolness goes, before he's looking around. "This is some seriously.. wild and cool stuff." he admits as he is staring at a piece of armor. That would have helped yesterday with the Serpent Society. At least almost all the major injuries have healed. Thank you healing factor!
"I uh…" Thanks, Gwen. He'll remember the license number of that bus. "Mostly freestyle work, you know.. urban murals." Graffiti is what he's trying not to say before he gestures. "You do only the real and accurate stuff or do you do like keyblades and gunblades and all that RPG type stuff too?" Then he remembers why he's here. "My counselor at ESU says I have talent, but I need more ways to express myself if I'm going to get an artist scholarship in the spring. Something about illegal artwork not counting."
Some sort of penny drops, and Gwen basically just turns beat red, right there on the spot. Well, red is a nice shade, but it's awkward, so Gwen tries (partly successfully? Maybe?) to hide it by turning around and checking out a custom sword that, let's face it, is VERY COOL. It's so cool. …At least she didn't say 'graffiti artist' though, right? Right?? This is why I'm an introvert. Why doesn't my danger sense warn me when I'm about to say something dumb?
"I have absolutely no idea what a Keyblade or Gunblade is," Gwen states once her cheeks have had a chance to stop… burning, quite so hideously. "But they sound both wonderfully impracticaly and totally awesome at the same time." That's right, change the subject. Extract foot from mouth, but do it slowly to prevent bruising.
Angela grins, "Wait, you do that?" She visibly perks up, looking at Miles with a warm expression, "That is amazing, Miles. Far more interesting than some of the stuff I do, I'd say. I mean, that's really innovative and cutting edge art that you can see there, free from any restrictions. Well, as long as you don't get caught." She winks at Miles with that, then chuckles, "But yeah, I do quite a few special commissions for various games and such. Even did some 'futuristic' ones, like this set of N7 armor." She scrolls through something on her laptop, then flips it around to show her modeling as Commander Shepard in said armor. "Got a really good price for that, and was actually not that hard to work since well, it isn't as metal-laden as the older stuff I work with. Was a pain to work with those plastics and foam for the first time, though…"
"You never play Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy?" Miles asks Gwen with a lift of his brow. "Losing nerd cred by the moment." he says teasingly, but there's a smile to her. Swift and forgiving. No hard feelings on the art thing as he takes out his phone. "Gwen has one of my pieces as her lock screen, but here." he swipes a few times to find the pieces that he's looking for. Recent works in locations that take some effort to get to. "Makes it harder to clean up if they can't reach it." he points out. "And keeps posers that just want to vandalize away too." he explains.
Then his atention is on the armors. "That's pretty awesome, Miss Angela." Always polite, at least with elders. Though the brain's moving a little. "You do anything lightweight that's more pratical?" Like body armor - but he doesn't say that out loud. He's stealth spider. Not Iron Spider.
Gwen is still loking a bit rosey, but hey, what can you do. "Man, I'm losing nerd points and slipping in Hod's polls," she faux-grouses, "What is a girl ever to do. I've never played Kingdom Hearts, no; I've played Final Fantasy Seven but honestly, only that one." She rolls her shoulders, "So, which one should I play to see this gunblades? I still think they sound awesome."
The blonde meanders back over to where Angela's standing, and scowls, "Honestly, 'cleaning up art' is a crime, or at least it ought to be. When people spray crap like hate symbols, yeah, take that down, but not art."
Angela hmphs, "Hate symbols are not art, but a travesty, and you'll get no argument from me. Why, I remember talking to Pablo about that very thing." She blinks, then says, "Ah, my neighbor, he's a big fan of impressionists. But yes, art like that should be treasured, art should always be treasured."
With that, she turns back to Miles, "Well… I could, but you have to understand that mithril armor is just in the Hobbit, it's not something I can really make. And my armor is nice, but it wouldn't stop a bullet. But still… hrm. I might have to think about that." She does give Miles a very intense look at that, eyes narrowing just a bit as she doesn't verbally ask why, but she's pretty obviously thinking that question.
"It was in seven, you just didn't grind hard enough." Miles comments to Gwen with a grin. While he's soaking up the nerd and Hod points, he doesn't seem to notice what's happening behind him. One of the suits of armor is holding up a halbred. One with a nasty blade. Definetly not the play with type. As he's doing his little jig that he has something as /silly/ as nerd cred on Gwen - which really, she's totally winnging by losing that one, the halbred falls free and starts to fall towards Miles blade first.
Miles shouldn't have time to react and that blade should cleave right into his skull and make him the man with two brains, but there's not thought to it - just a reaction. Warning buzzes in his head, the threat's there, Miles' arms up as if doing the 'A' in YMCA and he catches the blade between his hands, just mere centimeters above his dark curls. He stands there for a moment, extended out like that, and then he's blushing. "I must've bumped it!"
Gwen isn't watching what's happening, really, but she does hear the halberd falling. After a half second to process what that sound means, she whirls around; the situation gets processed, and she's way too far away to catch it herself.
Well. Miles' life is definitely worth a lot more than a secret identity, so she lifts one hand, right about to fire a webline from the webshooter she's wearing (thank goodness for jackets with long sleeves), but then it turns out Miles has got it voered.
"Wow. Nice catch," she observes, lowering her hand and making it look totally natural. Totally.
"I mean like… Wow. I'm amazed." She crosses the short distance to where Miles is holding a halberd, reaching up to help steady it and make sure it doesn't come down on his head. "Are you okay? Are you definitely okay?"
Angela blinks, "What, how did that happen?" She looks over at Miles, "Are you alright?" With that, she gently takes the halberd from Miles, frowning a bit at the weapon, "The edge is dulled enough, but it still would have had a serious impact. Normally these are better secured than that." She glares at the armor, as if rather irked at the inanimate object for its antics. Then she hefts the halberd with surprising ease and sets it down behind the counter. And she looks rather intently at Miles again, "Give me your number, and I'll do a little bit of research and see what I can do."
Look, when you've been around as long as she has… there's certain signs you catch.
"It's okay! I'm okay!" Miles is quickly offering, shaking his head at the halbred is taken from him and he dusts off his hands. "See, didn't even harm a hair. Just a lucky break I was reaching up at the time. You know, for a yawn." There's a grin at that, before he's glancing at Gwen where she was pointing at him. "I believe 'look out' were the words you were looking for?" he asks her, trying to schuck his way out of the situation as he turns to Angela, and waves a hand. "No need for all that!" comes the response.
Not that he could afford it anyway.
"I, uhh, yeah, 'look out' was definitely the words I was looking for." Gwen is happy to step back again and let the halberd get handed off to Angela — it's her halberd, afterall — and thrusts her hands into… where her pockets would be if she wasn't wearing a skirt. Dangit! Who makes these things without pockets? Besides every clothing company ever?! Seriously! Curse you, patriarchy!
"You are definitely okay?" Gwen continues, "Because you just had a massive death-axe almost fall on your head and that was the best catch I think I've ever seen. And seriously, my Dad watches baseball." She pauses, and scratches the back of her head, "It's… kind of annoying sometimes, actually, but we don't tell him that." She takes another step back, and holds out a hand to make sure the haft of the halberd doesn't clobber anything while Angela is carrying it. "Well… I'm glad that didn't turn out the way I was worried it was gonna," she adds.
Angela makes sure the halberd is in no place to fall on anyone else, then looks over at Miles, "Well, it never hurts to get a quote, right? Besides, now I'm a little curious about this myself. Just to see what possibilities there are, since… well, if the economy tanks or something I don't think people are going to be buying fake weapons too much. I have to look out for myself too, here." She smiles, "Besides, I like your work, Miles, so I might just give you a discount. One professional to another."
"Careful, Gwen, I may think you like me or something." Miles offers good-naturely to her, before shaking his head. "It was dumb luck, really. I just happened to be doing a little bit of a strech, and heard the creak of the metal and luckily clapped my hands." See, explained away! Nothing to see here. "Sounds like my dad and basketball. You should see his look of disappointment when his five foot ten self and my five foot nothing mom had five foot seven me." There's a grin at that. "NBA? Not Balling At All."
Then Angela's speaking up, and Miles is looking down, his cheeks darkening further. "Not much of a professional, but okay." he finally relents. "But if you're gonna do it, I wanna help. I mean, it's sort of a requirement. I'm trying to earn another scholarship. Barely squeezing by on the state grant, and my advisor suggested an art one, but I can't use my street art as a submission. It's quote 'questionable content' end-quote." He even makes little finger air quotes.
"Hey, I'm only five foot five." Gwen shrugs, "But then, I'm a girl, so nobody cares if I'm short." She pauses. "Also, education should be free, and I will die defending that hill." She smiles, blushing once more — getting a lot of that in today — as she backs off, "Of course I like you, Miles, you're cool." And you overlook it when I stick my foot in my mouth. "Also, Angela, I—"
Gwen is interupted by her phone going off. She pulls it out to look at it, and groans, "Dad… c'mon. …That's my Dad, I gotta answer that." She moves over to a corner, so she can answer the phone and have as quick a conversation as possible.
Angela hrms at Miles, "Well, I never had an intern before, but I think I could definitely talk to your guidance counselor. If you want, that is. I do keep weird hours, and I definitely would challenge you. This isn't going to be watching Facebook while waiting for customers here. I'm going to put you to work." She grins, "But fair work, and I'd actually pay you. If you wanted to try that, anyway."
As Gwen goes off to take the call, Miles lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. "I'm not lazy, I know how to work." comes the response as Angela makes her offer. He straightens. Lazy. Something that people assume of him because of what and who he is. "I'm willing to work for it - maybe I can get some college credit for it. I was going to take underwater basketweaving, but it was filled up." That was a joke, really.
Angela grins, "Plus, it's not as cool as you think, Miles." She nods, looking very satisfied, "And I don't think you're lazy. If I did, you wouldn't get the offer in the first place. Just want you aware of what you'd be getting in for. So, I'll talk to your department and see what needs to be done to make this all official, cool?"
There's a firm nod of Miles' head, and then he offers his hand to Angela. "Miles Morales." he finally offers in way of formal introduction. "I have to study and stuff at times too, so I totally get it."
Angela takes the offered hand, and shakes it firmly, "Angela Carpenter, Miles. And it's good to meet you. We'll get all this ironed out so we can get this all official, and then you'll be covered."
Giving the hand a firm shake in response. "Yeah, better make sure I'm covered. My mom's gonna freak." Miles says with a playful grin. "But she's a mom and a nurse, so that's totally expected. Dad's a cop, he's the super protective one."
Angela nods, and chuckles, "Well, they're free to come by the studio and talk to me. I realize that this can be a bit of a big deal, so I understand that." She shrugs a little, "Anyway, I should probably get some work done around here, but it was nice to meet you Miles. Here, my card. And don't forget to get me that information from your school." With that, she offers a business card. A bit old fashioned, but there IS a QR code on it for instant cellphone information.
"Sounds like a deal. I'll get that information from the school first. That will be easier than my parents." Miles says with a grin as he accepts the card. "Again, cool shop!" He glances towards Gwen one more time. "I should get going. Mind telling her I'll see her later?" he asks as he moves to head out.