ms_ives (ms_ives) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-07-20 18:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, elaine mallory, vanessa ives |
Who: Elaine and Vanessa
When: Mid July
Where: Local park
What: Taking a moment
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
Elaine stretched as she headed into the park to get done fresh air. She'd been cornered into a meeting at the office of her boss and she'd left it feeling like crap. They weren't too happy with things, she hadn't submitted the best work in the last few months. They wanted her to go back into the field.
She didn't know what to do.
Elaine sat down on a bench and just played with a ball of light, letting it dance over her fingers as she tried to think.
Vanessa enjoyed walking through the park and people watching when she could. She had a fairly regular flow of customers now and her abilities were getting stronger as she continued with the readings. It was nice to be able to accept herself like that.
As she walked she noticed the woman on the bench who was casually doing magic, “I’m sorry to disturb you but you seem troubled” she said approaching her.
The ball of light popped out of existence as Elaine startled a little bit. Then she smiled lightly. “Just tired, I guess.” It was a lie, easy to see too. But Elaine felt bad dumping her word on someone not Riddick.
“Just a terribly long week already” she said with a slight shrug.
“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you” Vanessa said, as she sat down next to the woman.
“Oh I know those weeks” she smiled, “And it makes it very hard when you have so many things on your mind too. It isn’t easy to know what to do all the time, sometimes talking helps”
Elaine shook her head. “It's alright I was lost in thought.” She laughed it off quietly before smiling. “Yes I know talking helps, but I feel bad unloading on strangers, you know?”
She shrugged a bit. “It's not easy, there's a lot I'm facing down and I don't know what to do with it.”
“I understand” Vanessa nodded, “But, as a stranger, I give you full permission to unload on me if you’d like to” she offered.
“Tell me what you’re facing and we’ll see if we can work something out for you, and if we can’t then hopefully it will at least have lightened the load a little”
Elaine smiled faintly. “My boss wants to send me back into the field. I was embedded with the military as a photojournalist, but the team I was with got ambushed and I was held hostage.” She shivered at the memory.
“They think my work isn't as good as when I'm in danger, I guess. They want short assignments, and my magic does okay with the army tech, it's older more reliable and less likely to fry. I just… I don't know if I can face that"
“I’m so sorry” Vanessa said, “And I am sorry that you are being pressured to return to something that you aren’t ready for. It is most definitely not fair for you to feel like that”
It seemed terribly unfair of the woman’s boss to make her feel like that, “If you aren’t ready to do that then you shouldn’t accept. It wouldn’t be fair to you or those with you on an assignment”
“It's okay. It is what it is.” She sighed a bit. “It's been a few years, but those scars are hard to get past. I just. Well. I suffered. I wasn't captive long but long enough.”
She raked a hand through her hair. “They made it very clear it's take the assignment or file unemployment. I need the work, I can't work around computers or technology.” She sighed heavily.
“Of course. Things like that leave a lasting impact and making you return to it before you are ready could do more damage” Vanessa replied.
“I know it’s easy to say but have you thought about looking into other ways to use your talent? You’re a photographer correct?” she wanted to make sure she had understood correctly.
Elaine nodded. “I am. Been doing national geographic work lately but my real skill does lie in war zone photography and natural disasters. I can take pretty pictures of nature but I guess I can really evoke emotion with the others.”
It was a nice way of saying she was good at the others but better at the harder stuff.”I don't know if I'll ever be ready though”
Vanessa nodded in understanding, “Well it sounds like you still have the passion, perhaps the natural disaster side of things may be something safer to start out with? Build your confidence once more” she suggested.
“Unfortunately not my choice. There's more war than natural disasters right now. No matter where I go it's going to be rough. I just have to see if my other half can come, maybe help. Who knows “ She sighed softly.
“I’m sorry you’ve been put in this position” Vanessa said, “I truly wish there was something I could do to help”
“It's not your fault. It's just what it is.” She shrugged again, little sparks of lightning dancing on her fingers. “Such is life. They don't know what this place does, they don't know how hard a position it is”
“Is there anything you could do with your magic? Another kind of job?” Vanessa asked, after all that was what she had done.
She shrugged. “In my dreams I fought bad guys. Made potions etc. But there's plenty of that with the guild, but really no paying work I know of”
“If you make potions it might be worth talking to some of the holistic and alternative shops, that’s where I work now. They’re open to a number of different ideas” Vanessa said.
She furrowed her brows a bit. “I wouldn't even know where to start.” Elaine looked pensive, the idea was a good one. She just didn't know where to start. She had a feeling she'd take the assignment anyways, but start with potions to stockpile a savings.
“I could give you some contacts if you’d like?” Vanessa offered, “I started offering my tarot services and it’s been more accepted than I had assumed. I’m pretty busy now”
She nodded a little. “That would be lovely.” A faint smile tucked itself on her lips. “I'll owe you, it's very much appreciated.” She meant it too, this place was exhausting.
“Oh it’s not a problem, pop your contact details down and I’ll get it all over to you” Vanessa said as she got out a small notebook and pen, “Anything that can help”
“You're kind. Thank you.” She rattled off her details, spelling out Mallory for her. “I really do appreciate it. “