Violet Blue Dragon

[Ruggahissy]

Amaranta 'Mara' Montalvo: Start

Mara pursed her lips and looked over her phone. She swiped her finger across the touch screen, pushing her e-mails down as she looked for any sign of new contact. The heels of her boots clacked against the polished floor of the mall, unconsciously doing so to the beat of the piped in music over head. Maybe it was Duran Duran. Maybe it was Prince. She wasn't paying attention. She stopped in front of the black and white sign face with two windows on either side boasting pictures of beautiful girls in incredibly complex make up that she could never hope to replicate on her own. The corner of her lips tugged upward into a lopsided smile.

Sephora

It was her candy colored playground. She'd felt a little frazzled lately and there was nothing like giving her dad's plastic a work out for a case of the blues.

Mara walked in, stomping her feet and switching her hips, nodding slightly in acknowledgement at a greeter by the door.

Benefit. Toki Doki. Chanel. Two Faced. Urban Decay. Smash Box. They were her friends. They could make her into anything she wanted to be.

She approached a line of displays with mirrored backs, reflecting her own smiling face back at her. She picked up a dark berry lip stain with little cartoons cluttering up the tube and swept it onto her lips. Mara raised her head to the round mirror, surrounded by lights all around its frame. The center of her dark eyes reflected back the ring of light as she stared at herself.

"Toki Doki," she said quietly.

[ViolentMedic]

((Naomi Bell continued from Beauty tarnished))

Considering that Naomi had left school in a rather foul mood,  thanks to that idiot with a crush on his motorbike, she was feeling rather good at the moment. The small stack of books that she'd purchased from the bookstore had a lot to do with it. Good literature was the best kind of pick-me-up.

If only the books weren't so heavy. Naomi tried to hold back any grunts or noises that gave away the effort she was putting into carrying a bag of books. Perhaps Naomi had gotten a little carried away, but those encyclopedias had looked really informative and she'd needed a couple of books for later Book Club meetings.

It did feel like the books crammed into her bag were going to cause her back to break. Naomi stopped to shift the bag so that she was carrying it instead, rather than slinging it over her back. If the weight broke her back she'd be bent over like an old crone for the rest of her life, and that wouldn't do much good for her public image. Even if old crones were associated with wisdom, they were also often sinister, malicious and associated with death. Not to mention ugly. Naomi would rather be smart and pretty as opposed to wise but crumpled.

Speaking of staying pretty... she needed some more lip gloss. Naomi hadn't restocked on it since her little sister got into her belongings and ate almost all the lip gloss she had because it tasted like strawberries. Plus, she was running low on some skin products... it wouldn't hurt to stop by Sephora on the way back. A couple of small containers wasn't going to damage her back more than the encyclopedias.

Investing in some kind of locked box would probably help as well, to prevent Maria from snacking on her cosmetics again. But that could wait.

Upon walking in Sephora, smiling and nodding at the greeter, Naomi spotted Mara testing out lip stains at a nearby mirror. She got along well with Mara. They were both on the debate team and Mara had very high standards when it came to socialising with people, which was something Naomi could respect even if she tried to maintain a wider variety of friends and acquaintances.

She wasn't too surprised to see her friend in here, though. If there was one thing that irked her about Mara, it was that she considered looks more important than intelligence. Pity, it wasn't like she was dumb... but in Naomi's opinion, her priorities were certainly skewed.

Naomi walked towards Mara, only stopping briefly to grab a tube of her favourite lip gloss off one of the shelves.

"Mara! Nice to see you. Planning on purchasing anything special, or just unwinding?"

[Ruggahissy]

Mara heard her name and lifted her head, automatically sweeping back a bit of her fine, glossy, jet black hair. The action was one, as if that was what she always did when someone came upon her suddenly. A single black pearl earring was visible now, fastened to her ear. Mara brushed down the front of her pink colored pashmina, wrapped around a clean, black close fitted long sleeved shirt. It gave her the appearance of being somewhat Indian, an ethnicity she was sometimes mistaken for.

Mara hastily put the cap back on the tube and shoved it into it's place holder. She picked up another more expensive brand and inspected it before looking up at Naomi. Mara waved and approached her, giving her an air kiss.

"Hello Naomi!" she said exuberantly. "Sorry, didn't want to get any on you," she said putting a hand over her lips briefly.

Her almond eyes roved over the girl for a few seconds before she decided she approved. Mara smiled. She liked Naomi. Liking someone wasn't all that uncommon for Mara but something that was rather unusual was that she respected Naomi as well. She was pretty, wealthy and she was intelligent. The only wrinkle Mara found was that Naomi had a tendency to be a bit of a do-gooder. However, it was a tolerable wrinkle.


"No, it was entirely by caprice, you know? My feet just led me here."

Mara eyed the books.

"Someone had quite the time at the book store. I've read many of those, you know," she said picking up one of them. "This one is really good," she said of a book that in reality, she'd only read a review for.

"Why don't you let them keep these at the counter and have a little wind down? I wanted to talk to you anyhow."

[ViolentMedic]

Naomi smiled back as Mara picked up one of the books she'd bought and mentioned that it was good. It felt nice to have intelligent conversation. Not many high schoolers used the word 'caprice' in a sentence. Most of them probably wouldn't even know what it meant.

"I haven't actually read this book for myself yet, although I've heard that the writing is quite commendable. I'll take your word on it, for now." Naomi slipped the book back into her bag, although she had some trouble fitting it back in.

"Leaving these at the counter does sound appealing, though. They're so heavy that they could replace the weights at the school's gymnasium. Sure, I've got time to unwind and it'll be nice to talk to someone who isn't accusing me of criminal activities. Just a moment."

Naomi hurried away to leave the books at the counter, although she made sure she'd still be able to see them from where Mara was. She didn't think anyone was going to steal them, and they'd have a hard time dragging the bag of books out without being noticed, but it didn't hurt to be careful. She returned to Mara.

"Done. So, what did you want to talk about?" Naomi picked up the Toki Doki lip stain that Mara had been trying out when she arrived. "Hm. I've never used any Toki Doki products before. Are they actually good or are they one of those brands where the labels look prettier than the actual make-up?"

[Ruggahissy]

"Hey!" she called sharply to a girl at the counter. "Watch our bag, hmm? We're customers," she snapped before turning back to Naomi.

Mara looked into one of the lighted mirrors, checking to see if there were any blemishes on her skin.

"Criminal activities? How ridiculous. Who'd accuse you of that?"

Mara was riffling around the Benefit line, picking up a foundation box and holding it up to Naomi's face to see the if there was a color match.

"Toki Doki is alright. It's very cute and it's not to bad on the wallet if that's important to you. I have one of the eye shadow pallets. It comes with a little silver key chain but it's going out colors, not day time colors. I think that's it. I think most of their stuff is going out stuff."

The lip stain accentuated her lips. Mara didn't like that. She didn't like how her lips looked. She took a tissue and wiped, getting about half the color off. It was called a stain after all.

"I wanted to talk to you about student elections. We're both on the council and now we're seniors. We have a right to run for the office positions. I wanted to run for vice president and I wanted to know what you thought," she said lightly.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

Jaquilyn Locke: Start

Jaquilyn carefully traced her eyelid with the utensil. Ugh. Her sleeve kept slipping down and blocking her view. All in one motion, she tossed her hair slightly, and extended her right arm, using her left hand to hold the sleeve. Her tan arm slipped out of the sleeve and came to rest around her elbow.

She lowered herself back down to the small, concave mirror. Her dark eye stared back as she resumed her tracing. Bianca was busy tonight, so she was shopping solo. None of her guy friends would be caught dead in a Sephora.

She used her pinky to wipe off the excess, and blinked at her perfect car eye. Yesss She started on the next eye. Switching arms and adjusting her sleeves accordingly. She'd be buying the product, so getting full use out of the free sample seemed alright. She had no intention of walking around half Cleopatra. Sounds like something Gaga would do. Freak. She was more of a Green day, Good Charlotte, and MCR and Rise against kind of girl. Gerald Way wears eyeliner, but he's kind of a pussy

Suddenly "Hey!" Jaquilyn knew and loathed that voice.

 "Watch our bag, hmm? We're customers."

Jaquilyn's painted eye turned slightly as she shifted. In the mirror she saw her. The bitch who was better than everybody. Montalvo.

[ViolentMedic]

Naomi winced as Mara ordered the girl at the counter to watch their bags in a rather impolite fashion. No sense of subtlety at all... Didn't she know that you acquired more flies with honey than vinegar? Naomi hoped, for Mara's sake, that she didn't treat the people who served her food like that, or else she was probably eating a spit-rich diet.

She listened to Mara's explanation about the pros and cons of Toki Doki before responding.

"Ahhh, in that case it's probably ill-suited for me." Naomi preferred not to wear obvious make-up. It felt showy. She liked people paying attention to her, but not because of vivid lipstick or eyeshadow. She slipped the container of lip stain back into it's placeholder, as Mara attempted to wipe off the same lip stain with a tissue.

"But concerning the criminal allegations... it was just Owen being a Neanderthal. Owen Veveris, I mean," Naomi amended quickly. She didn't want her to confuse him with Owen Key, who as far as Naomi knew was rather pleasant. "Apparently I scratched his motorcycle. Ridiculous. As if I didn't have better things to do. Not to mention, accusing me of criminal activity when his own record is less than stellar is just rude."

Naomi bent down to examine the shelves that contained moisturizer, scanning the labels for her favourite brand as Mara started talking about student elections.

"Vice president, hm?" Truth be told, Naomi was rather glad that Mara was considering vice president. Mostly because it meant she wouldn't be going for president, a position that Naomi intended to acquire. Not that she was worried about what would happen if she and Mara were in direct competition, but... these sorts of competitions could put such a strain on friendship.

"I think it's an excellent idea," Naomi said, as she picked up a container of moisturizer that she didn't recognise and turned it over, reading the back of the label. "You're good at taking charge, you'd probably make a decent vice president." Naomi resisted the urge to say 'if you swallowed your dignity and talked to people you deemed inferior.' "I'm going to try and become president. It's a good stepping stone to becoming a real president. Imagine if we both got the positions, hm?"

As Naomi talked, she spotted another classmate nearby, looking into one of the mirrors. Jaquilyn Locke, she was fairly certain. Naomi knew her in passing. Her father had run for mayor recently and Naomi liked to keep up to date on those sort of activities. Other than that, Naomi didn't know too much other than that Jaquilyn was a cheerleader and rumoured to be rather promiscuous. Something that Naomi really didn't approve of, but it wasn't as if Jaquilyn was the only one with that reputation.

Naomi considered going to talk to her, but... sometimes she had to be careful who she spoke to when Mara was around. She had a habit of getting snippy towards anyone she considered below her.

Tch. Unnecessary vinegar often made things more difficult than they needed to be.

[Ruggahissy]

Mara beamed in response to Naomi. Of course she'd make a good vice president. She knew how to get people off their lazy asses to get things done. And she wouldn't all that much mind if Naomi was the one who was in the presidential position.

"I'm glad you approve. I can certainly see why you'd want to be president and you do have everyone's best interest at heart. Well, we will both have to try our best then, hmm?"

She picked up a yellow bottle of Clinique moisterizer and pushed it at Naomi.

"Of course Owen would think that. Naomi, the boy is a little criminal. He thinks everyone is like him. So it only makes sense that he'd accuse you of doing something like scratching his stupid motorbike. It's because it's the sort of thing that he would do if he had a problem with someone."

Mara knew that the other girl couldn't do something like that anyhow. It wasn't in her nature to do something like property damage.

Mara looked up and saw her companion looking elsewhere. She followed her line of sight which ended on Jaquilyn. Mara looked at Naomi and pulled a half scowling face. She looked back down at a row of nail polishes.

"Someone decided to get more face paint," she said quietly in a sing song tone while looking down at the products.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

The comment was just loud enough for Jaquilyn to hear it. It was probably meant to be so. Fuckin bitch

She she'd just finished her second cat eye. The cap clicked back on the marker.

CLAP. Her hand ached slightly. The eyeliner was pinned between her palm and the counter. She retracted her hand and whirled around.

Simmer down, she's not worth it.

A pale, somewhat tall girl was with her. Jaq didn't know the girl, but figured she was probably a clone. Blonde hair and all. Jaquilyn'd give her the benefit of the doubt for now, but she was on probation just for associating with such scum. She refocused on the speaker.

Just minding my own business when Bitch comes along, practically sweating from all the social climbing she'd been doing.

Before she new it she had her fingers interlocked with her palms facing away from her. Her arms locked while her fingers extended. Craack

She stood tall, feet a good distance apart. "You looking to start a fight?"

Mother fucker I must look good right now. Combat boots, hot jacket, fierce eyes.

Her sharpened eyes were aimed at the antagonist. If looks could kill, there would be a throughly diced bitch on the ground. Jaquilyn didn't even glance at Blondie. She didn't exist right now.

Part of her thought she was overreacting; getting all fight ready in a fucking Sephora.

But all of her wanted to snap this bitch in half.

[ViolentMedic]

"Naturally," Naomi said, as Mara pushed a bottle of Clinique moisturizer at her. "There's no point in doing something without doing it right. Otherwise, it's pointless and lazy."

Naomi examined the bottle of Clinique. It didn't strike her as the sort of brand she wanted to rub into her skin, for some reason. She still compared the information on the backs of the bottle of Clinique and the other small jar of moisturizer she was holding.

"Perhaps. Although he'd be even more of a simpleton to attempt it. He'd be caught by the parking lot cameras. ...I probably should have pointed that out to him." Well, darn. He might have stopped his accusations if she'd pointed it out. Probably not, however. That would imply intelligence and rationality.

Naomi had apparently not been subtle enough while looking at Jaquilyn, because Mara had noticed. Mara looked over, turned back to Naomi and scowled. Oh dear. That did not bode well. Naomi quickly went back to reading the backs of the moisturizer containers with more intensity than what was required, hoping Mara wouldn't start anything.

"Someone decided to get more face paint."

Alas, it was a futile hope. Well, Naomi could hope that Jaquilyn wouldn't take offence, or would take the high road and ignore her...

"You looking to start a fight?"

Meadow dressing.

Naomi wondered if she should do something. Try to stop it from developing into a verbal fight. Or worse, a physical one. She could stand between them, try and distract one or both of them or find some other way to defuse the situation.

While her mind ticked over possibilities, she casually took a couple of steps back. Were they to get in a noisy fight with the staff, she didn't want to let them think that she was part of the fight as well.

[Ruggahissy]

Mara took a bottle of red polish and opened it, looking at the tint outside the bottle to get a better gauge on the hue. She was aware of Jaquilyn walking up to her; she saw it in her peripheral vision. Mara swept a piece of her glossy, black hair behind her ear and inspected the nail polish brush, not looking at Jaquilyn even when she addressed her ready to fight.

"Oh hello," she said absently, turning the small bottle over in her hand. "Did someone say something about you? I know I didn't. Not everything is about you, Jaqui, you'd do well to remember it."

Mara dipped the brush into the bottle and pushed it delicately against the surface of her thumb. She held her finger at a distance, trying to appraise the look of the polish with her skin.

"And even so, an invitation to fight?"

Mara turned and looked for the first time at the other girl, her dark eyes pushed upward slightly, as if amused.

"Don't be vulgar."

She turned to Naomi and held her hand out as if asking an opinion on the nail lacquer.

"As I was saying with Owen, no use trying to conciliate them."  

[umop-ap!sdn†]

Her fists were clenched at her sides, tightening even more.

"Did someone say something about you? I know I didn't. Not everything is about you, Jaqui, you'd do well to remember it."

Jaquilyn started at the source of the words. Thin lips. Probably wouldn't absorb much impact if Jaq punched her in the mouth..

"Don't be vulgar."

Jaquilyn's mom used the word to critique table manners, and voice disdain for swears. Oh bitch, I'll show you vulgar.

"Don't be a pussy."

Most girls hated the word. But hanging out with competitive guys desensitized her to it. Speaking of girls, Blondie had stepped back. Probably wise.

She was just a few feet away from the vulgar pussy, and still getting closer. Invading her space. Applying pressure. Her fists released, one moved to her hip, the other pointed. The pussy was trying to resume conversation with Blondie.

Hello NO we are not done here.

She got uningnorably close, somewhere around a meter.

"Take it back, or own up to it."

Jaq was in. her. face. Bitch can't win. She's either in for an ass kicking, or backing down.

Her eyes rotated in their catlike sockets toward the mall's exit. They snapped back to the target. Her arched brows ascended challengingly. And remember, avoiding conflict won't impress little Miss President over there.

[ViolentMedic]

Naomi wondered if it would be worth retreating in order to avoid this situation, which was not getting any better. Mara was being condescending and impolite and Jaquilyn looked like she was about to do something violent.

"Don't be vulgar."

While Naomi agreed that Jaquilyn was being somewhat vulgar (really, threatening to attack someone in a Sephora because they made a comment about face paint?) it seemed profoundly stupid to say this to her face.

"Don't be a pussy."

And now Jaquilyn seemed to be responding by building her vulgarity up to offensive levels. Not to mention, in her opinion, it was much worse to be so violent and reckless as to get into a fight over small, meaningless quibbles than to be a... Naomi didn't even like to think the p-word, but it was still better to be one than be a caveman.

"Take it back, or own up to it."

Stepping in would probably be best. Jaquilyn seemed intent on getting into a fight. Naomi inwardly sighed before moving forward and stepping between them, hands raised.

"Let's just calm down. Don't you realise that this is a pointless argument? 'Fight not unless the position is critical.' And I'm fairly certain that you--" Naomi stopped to gesture at Mara, "--not approving of her--" she gestured at Jaquilyn, "--make-up choices doesn't qualify as a critical position.

"I will say this much." Naomi fixed her stare on Jaquilyn. She tried not to openly portray how annoyed she was at her overeagerness to get into a fistfight and use of the p-word. "You're overreacting. There's no need to ambush her because she stated that you wear face paint. And Mara." She turned back to her friend. "You're being rude and I'm fairly certain it's hard to gather votes when you're being impolite." Her way of saying 'you won't end up vice president if you keep insulting people until they turn violet.'

Naomi glanced around the shop before adding, "I also doubt either one of you wants to be banned from Sephora, and you're starting to attract awkward looks."

[Ruggahissy]

"Who's being rude? I didn't say anything."

Mara was technically correct, she'd never said anyone's name or even specified a gender in her comment. Technically correct was the best kind of correct.

"I can't be held accountable if someone reacts to every vague comment with the threat of physical violence, which I will not debase myself to, of course."


"And I don't think I want for the reprobate vote," she said under her breath with a sharp look to Naomi.

She stood up straight and held her head up high.

"See you later, Jaquilyn," she said with a twisted smile.

I will remember this, you silly little puppet.

Smile. Had Mara's temper been tapped, there might have been a much worse outcome. However in her view, Jaquilyn was not something to get upset over. She was silly. She was like a clown with floppy shoes and a red nose. Subhuman. Calling her a pussy and trying to start a fight were just.... ridiculous to her. The girl was ridiculous.

The girl was quite close to her. Mara turned on her heels, took Noami's arm and flipped her hair back intentionally.

"Nouveau riche, honestly," she muttered.

[umop-ap!sdn†]

Evil flashed her evil grin, spun around, and went to grab her gal pal arm in arm. Every fake action made Jaquilyn's jaw clench in rage.

She's just trying to piss me off by acting better than me.

*Hair flip* Jaquilyn felt her eyelid twitch.

She can pretend she's dominant all she wants. I know I could crush her, and she knows it too.

"Yeah, and Bill Clinton didn't fuck that bitch." Technically.

Getting in a verbal jab released some of the pressure accumulating in her skull. Let her walk, she's not worth it. Let her walk, she's not worth it.

She accepted the withdrawal as a surrender. Cowards are vulgar. Let that bitch go live a vulgar life.