It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day [WC Open Log]

[backwordscompatible]

Characters: Zatanna Zatara & Whoever stops by (threadjacking/mingling optional, if desired)

Date: Month of February
Location: The Welcome Center
Situation: A lot of (mostly cosmetic, a touch magical) changes were made recently. Oh, and also a Singles Awareness Day Movie Marathon
Warnings/Rating: That depends on whether or not people choose to behave themselves....


It would seem the 18-year-old Mistress of Magic had been up to something over the last few weeks. When she wasn't manning the front counter, she could be seen running from store to store. Making deals. Bargaining like an old pro. All for the sake of her current project....


I. - JUST OUTSIDE THE CENTER

The first major change was the addition of a large cork board installed right next to the main doorway. Informal and ever changing, there were push pins outlining the entire border for just about anyone who wanted to come and put up their personal advertisement. Local stores that were hiring. Local jobless souls in need of BEING hired. Families looking for a babysitter. Weekly specials at some of the shops. Upcoming events.


II. - INSIDE

New magic wards had been put up. Even before the little jingle of the front door bell met a new arrival, those with the right sensitivity would be able to tell. All precautionary, of course, and not even all that strict. She'd had the ones protecting the windows from those prankster kedan children since the previous year, but this one expanded to cover the entire main room of the Center. A spell of protection, that would keep any with the intent of ill will from crossing the threshold. And prevent any acts of violence intending to cause another living being (or piece of furniture) harm. Just in case.

But that wasn't all! Though the layout of the room remained the same, the furnishings were all different. She'd stained most of the wooden furniture, including the front desk, a deep mahogany-brown, giving the place a warm feel. New carpeting and plush couches and chairs were over by the fireplace, which seemed to burn perpetually on a combination of wood and magic. There were snacks on one of the tables--including marshmallows, because of course--and bottles of water in a small cooler. And the windows now had deep maroon blackout curtains. Currently open, and tied on either side by gold rope, allowing the bright sunlight to stream in on sunny days.

Most notably, however, Zatanna had cleaned up the network console area, putting up privacy screens on either side, offering a more comfortable stool for those using it, and relocating it to the far corner of the room for the customer's privacy. That, combined with the new brochures lining the front of the main desk, all titled SO YOU ENDED UP ON THE BACK OF A GIANT, LIVING TURTLE (her idea, of course), and she figured that was everything any new arrival might need immediate access to, in the event she happened to be out or asleep in the back.

...which was also protected by additional wards, by the way. Specifically the kind that only allowed her and those she personally invited into her living space. Hey, it wasn't paranoia to want a little privacy now and then.


III. - VALENTINE'S WEEKEND

The advertisements would go up on the front bulletin board with a week's notice, and she counted on word of mouth to get around.

It wasn't any major event. Heck, she wouldn't even care if nobody showed up. The night was just as much for her as it was anyone else. As her first Valentine's Day in years as a Single Girl, she simply didn't feel like going out. So she decided she--and anybody else who wanted--could stay in. In style.

The furniture was all moved, and the snacks were switched out for popcorn and ice cream and a few other notably unhealthy comfort options. The blackout curtains were drawn. Above the fireplace--which had been dimmed to a dull ember-- was a large, white screen which would broadcast a marathon of decidedly "bad", cheesy, and/or so-awful-they're-actually-kind-of-funny movies from sundown until she gave up and went to sleep. Mostly local productions and whatever else she could find in the bargain bins in the entertainment areas. It didn't really matter. The more bargain-y, the worse. Or better.

Zatanna herself could be found in her favorite recliner, unabashedly donning a pair of grey sweats and she sat back with a personal carton of rocky road ice cream, eating it by the spoonful as she took pleasure in the badly acted "horror" movie playing out on the screen at that particular moment.

Comments

I/II

[lasergrenades]

I. As soon as Pepper saw the notice board, she decided to make the most of it. Regardless of whether she's now apparently testing the waters for a new government in Keeliai, she's also trying to start a small business. She tacks on an advert for custom tailoring with her usual caveats - pay for the materials, but not the labor, since she's still learning. Any additional funds are greatly appreciated, of course.

II. Next stop: the interior of the Welcome Center, where she hasn't visited since her first day here. In her conversation with Abigail, Pepper had the idea to help contribute to the intro at the Welcome Center. One of the first things people need, aside from food and lodging, is clothes - hardly anyone every arrives with more than one set, and it can be extremely comforting to have decent clothes at hand when you're in a strange new place. Things that they can call their own.

She does stop to look at the plaque, though, before talking with Zatanna; the one that is her only tangible proof of an alternate version of herself. It's just an engraving, but it's... unsettling.

"So weird," she mutters, shaking her head.

II.

[backwordscompatible]

Honestly? Zatanna was a little surprised this conversation hadn't come sooner. She couldn't completely empathize with Pepper's plight, of course--there had never been another Zatanna besides her (that she knew of) on the Turtle--but...she did have several other examples to refer back to.

"It could've been weirder," she offered, even though she knew it (probably) wouldn't help much. "You and she could've been here at the same time. It's happened before."

[lasergrenades]

"Yikes. Yeah, that definitely would have been weirder and also definitely freaky," Pepper says with a sour look on her face.

It wasn't a particularly good reason to avoid coming to the Welcome Center, but now that she's here it isn't so bad. To get the place going, Other Pepper must have been pretty awesome, too, right?

"Did you know her? What was she - actually, never mind, I'm not sure I actually want to know. Anyway!" She puts on a more cheerful attitude. "I've got a sort of business proposal kind of thing I wanted to ask you about."

[backwordscompatible]

It was so funny that Pepper should mention that. And even moreso that she cut herself off right in the middle of asking.

"As a matter of fact, I did. Pretty well." The nature of that relationship, however, was deliberately left up in the air since Pepper had seen to it to change the subject right after: "What kind of business proposal kind of thing?"

[lasergrenades]

If Pepper ever does decide to learn more of her counterpart, she knows where to come, but today is not that day.

"Well, there have been a lot of new Foreigners lately and a bunch of them have had zero appropriate clothing and no matter what all of us only ever have one set when we show up. And I'm starting a sort of custom clothing shop. So," she continues, smiling broadly, "I was thinking I could start making basic sets of stuff for people - you know, tee-shirts, pants, that kind of thing. And I could sell them to the Welcome Center pretty low cost, just over paying for materials. Hopefully I can just donate them eventually."

She has no idea what the budget looks like, or where the money comes from to pay for the Welcome Center, though, so... yeah.

[backwordscompatible]

Another story for another day.

(Or, rather, another part of the same story. But still for another day.)

"That's not a bad idea. We already have a small pouch of juulan to give to any newcomer who needs...but a whole Welcome Package might be even better. Were you thinking just clothes?"

[lasergrenades]

"That was the main idea," Pepper says, brows furrowing just a bit in thought. "But I guess other things could be useful, like a messenger bag to put things in, clothes included."

She starts to think through what she uses on a regular basis both here and at home.

"If we're going all in a toothbrush might be nice. All the toiletries, actually. Most of the fabric things I can think of that aren't clothes only really matter if people aren't staying at the Hotel."

[backwordscompatible]

"You mean like towels and blankets?" she chimed in. "Too much might end up being a big load for most people to carry, especially if they haven't figured out lodging yet...maybe we could figure out a small basket of travel-sized items."

[lasergrenades]

"Yeah, those are probably too big," Pepper agrees with a nod. "But things like a brush and toothpaste and soap and stuff. We should check with Anton - he might buy them in bulk and be willing to donate some of that here."

She grins. This is going to be great.

"Not gonna lie, chocolate or something little and sweet might be nice, too. Comfort food for the culture shock."

III ...ish?

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim has been helping out with preparations for the Valentine's Day... well, he's not sure it's really a party, but it definitely looks to him like it will be a good time. Her plan of junk food and terrible movies actually sounds pretty good to him.

Right now he's got a shopping list in front of him, with all the staples for a junk food and movie night. He's considering it thoughtfully.]

Maybe I should make something, too.

[backwordscompatible]

[She came over to him, blatantly peeking over his shoulder in an attempt to scan the list. So far, so good. Not a single healthy item in sight.]

Like what?

...wait, since when do you bake?

[mrsarcastic003]

I made pizza with Bart. That's baking, right?

[backwordscompatible]

[Actually?]

So long as it was edible when it came out.

[mrsarcastic003]

Our fourth attempt was perfectly edible. Even tasty. It was for my birthday. It took some experimenting, because neither of us knew what we were doing, but once we got there...

[backwordscompatible]

Okay, that's it. New rule: you don't go near my oven without adult supervision.

[mrsarcastic003]

...Wow. I don't think I'm that untrustworthy.

[backwordscompatible]

Hey, I trust you with my life, okay?

Just not my kitchen.

II.

[denyamenti]

Bakura hadn't been inside the Welcome Center in over a year, so upon entering, he took a moment to glance around and take in the changes. Reading the title on the brochures in the rack made him smile wryly, picking one up and unfolding it. What information was being given to the new arrivals, these days?

[backwordscompatible]

...okay, granted, there had been instances of people leaving and coming back without any memories. This could have been a "new" Bakura, checking things out for the first time all over again.

"Looking for something?"

Unless it was still the old Bakura, browsing around for whatever reason.

[denyamenti]

"Just seeing what you've done with the place," he replied, folding the brochure up and replacing it in the spot it'd come from. "That's an interesting ward on the door, by the way. A little vague, but it covers most bases." The Ring had picked it up when he'd entered, and experience with similar types of protection spells on tombs had given him context enough to understand it.

[backwordscompatible]

Old Bakura, then. Without a doubt.

"Thanks." She accepted the compliment at face-value. After all, it had been 'vague' on purpose. The Welcome Center was her home, but it was also still the Welcome Center. No use scaring off anybody with too strong a ward. "I figured, with everything, the place needed a bit of updating. After all...it's been a while since it was first set up. A lot's happened since."

[denyamenti]

"Good to hear you're keeping up with current times," he answered, running his fingers along the desk where the consoles had been set up. "Is one of the things still offered here, to find jobs for the new arrivals?"

[backwordscompatible]

"Well, I wouldn't want to be accused of slacking off. Again."

Deliberately side-eying him, in remembrance of past conversations. Though not without hints of a smile.

(In other words, a joke.)

"It is. But I moved those outside. The bulletin board by the main door. Any and all job-related stuff can be found out there. I figured it was more convenient. And more visible."

[denyamenti]

The acknowledgement of the past joke is an unexpectedly bright grin, sharp but not malicious; and here he'd thought she'd taken it personally. "Who'd accuse you of such a thing?" he returned, in mock-affront. "Don't they see how committed you are to the cause?"

[backwordscompatible]

"I know, right?"

Jokes, aside, however...

"So why're you interested in the jobs section? Looking for a new place to work, or seeking some help with the work you've got? ...you do still work at that dojo, right?"