003. - Book Club!

[helpdesk_hero]

Alright, so I've suggested this a little to some friends of mine, but I'm thinking about throwing this out a bit wider.

I'm thinking about starting up a book club. Less in the style of book of the month and more organizing one or possibly more groups who can share books or even genres they love most with other people. People would still do the whole guiding discussion but not looking for high end critique so much as just talking about it.

We all need something to unwind and I don't doubt some of us are really fans of reading. I would think the arrangement might work best with members willing to buy their own books. I think for the first few meetings I'd be willing to cook either a simple meal or some finger foods to enjoy, but people could also volunteer to provide food or drinks.


Anyone interested in the idea?

Comments

[melodramagic]

... right, the whole superhero thing.

[ Maybe she should talk about it. It would be nice to get a fresh perspective on the whole thing. ]

Maybe not on the Network, though. Do you like coffee or tea? Neither?

[helpdesk_hero]

People really do enjoy coffee here. I don't mind getting some so we can talk. What city?

[melodramagic]

It could be milkshakes, too. I do like those.

[ A small grin. ]

I'm in Maurtia Falls.

[helpdesk_hero]

Milkshakes could absolutely work. Maurita Falls should be possible, if you know a place with milkshakes I can meet you?

[melodramagic]

Totally do. They know my order by heart now.

[ She texts an address over. ]

See you in a bit then?

[helpdesk_hero]

[And sure enough she will. He'll show up at the indicated address and order a large chocolate shake before looking around to try and find the woman he's supposed to be meeting.]

[melodramagic]

[ Sabrina steps in a few minutes later, the boy behind the counter gazing up and recognizing one of their regulars. He signals Sabrina who nods politely with a smile, then she moves toward David when she spots him, waving to indicate her presence. ]

Uh, hi! Pretty sure we're supposed to be meeting up.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Yes, indeed they are. When Sabrina approaches David rises and offers out a gloved hand.]

The book club conversation that turned directions just a little bit?

[He wasn't going to call out magic in public. Just in case.]

[melodramagic]

[ There's a sheepish smile as she takes his hand, shaking it lightly.

David is not entirely wrong to; Maurtia Falls still has its ups and downs with imPorts. Considering a couple of weeks back Sabrina had a creepy doppelganger running around with her powers, too? It was practically mayhem.

Some of the locals in the shop might even eyeball Sabrina a little warily. She notices it, but perks up when one of the employees drops off her chocolate banana milkshake. Sabrina hands him some change so he can put it into the register, then her gaze settles on David once more. ]

... yeah, I'm sorry. That got awkward.

[helpdesk_hero]

Hardly awkward. I've been through some really interesting things lately. I'm pretty good at handling 'strange' occurrences. Hell, one of my friends was kidnapped by an interdimensional horror being that may or may not be my future self.

[Magic wasn't awkward.]

[melodramagic]

... what.

[ That's... a lot.

And she thought her story was going to be much. ]

So you're going to become something else?

[helpdesk_hero]

Maybe? It's really hard to say. Futures are flexible.

[He sips at his milkshake and gestures for her to join him at a table away from the counter.]

[melodramagic]

[ She slips into the seat, her expression deeply curious. ]

Are you not worried about that?

[helpdesk_hero]

Frankly? I'm terrified.

[What? It's fair. He's scared of what he's supposed to be. But he can't even go home and deal with it. He's stuck here.

Perhaps something here leads to what he becomes there.]

[melodramagic]

Do you think you can change that?

[ She's curious; while it sounds like things in Greendale work out, there's still the fact that they have to go through such troubling events before acquiring some semblance of peace and quiet. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

Chances are? No. If I really am supposed to become this being, it will happen. Unavoidable. Only way to avoid it would be to actually cause all life on Earth, and possibly the universe, never have existed.

[melodramagic]

But you said futures are flexible.

[ So that means there needs to be a sliver of a chance that things could turn out differently. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

For me the flexibility is dependent upon whether or not it is me that becomes that being, or someone else.

[melodramagic]

Are there maybe certain events that lead to you becoming... whatever it is in the future? So if you avoided those somehow, maybe the future won't be that.

[helpdesk_hero]

I don't know what events lead to it. I do know that magic is involved.

[melodramagic]

Do your friends know?

[ She takes a sip through her straw, an inquisitive look on her face the entire time she watches David. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

No. There wasn’t time and they wouldn’t have taken the conclusion well anyway.

[melodramagic]

What do you mean?

[ A lot of this sounds dangerously familiar to Sabrina, whose own friends haven't always handled her magical heritage well. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

The thing spent months tormenting us, kidnapped a friend of ours, and fought us. And I'm pretty sure it was trying to make sure things played out properly to ensure that friend of mine becoming a god in the future. They wouldn't like anyone being associated with it.

[melodramagic]

[ Yikes. ]

That sounds way more complicated than pictured.