More shorties
May. 30th, 2009 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
a_qMore Emma in 1000 word, PG range. This one is also from the X-Men Flash Fic era, I think the challenge was 'Education'. This story is pretty pointless, but I wanted to try write street-smart Jubilee. There is better Jubes writers than me, I think it is because I'm not good with smartmouth dialogue. Here she is all the same, getting in trouble.
“As you can see Ms. Frost, it's a very well proportioned Asscher cut. Rare craftsmanship in these days, I might add. And as the colour goes...”
Emma inspected the diamond under a loupe. The colour was truly amazing, as her dealer had promised over the phone. A clear, intense yellow that was almost impossible to find. The cut was the best she had ever seen. It directed her gaze straight into the heart of the stone where a fiery light shone. There was an inclusion there - a tiny flaw, hard to catch unless you had a trained eye for it. Emma Frost had the skill. She purchased diamonds like a priest preached; as an act of holy duty and salvation. When a diamond belonged to her, it was if she had found another piece of her own self. The yellow diamond had been hers the moment she had laid her eyes on it.
“Yes, I agree. The Canary Bird would be closest thing to compare it to. 2.33 carats you said?” Emma asked politely to get the bargaining in gear. She placed the stone back in its black velvet cushion and sat back, not really listening to what the man said. Her attention had suddenly turned to something much more interesting. A young Asian girl had stepped into the store.
*Jubilation Lee, just the girl I've been looking for... Truly, you ask and you will receive.*
The girl’s mind was wandering over trivial thoughts and Emma wanted her full attention. An image of Emma's Chanel handbag carelessly tossed over the chair was shot to the girl’s head before quickly fading away. It was an easy bait and the girl fell for it, glancing directly at Emma's handbag. There were so many ugly endings within this scenario that Emma couldn't help but smile. Now she just needed to get rid of this seller.
“Yes, I can come terms with this price... You wouldn't have any diamonds in the class VS2 in G or H colour range? I have been searching for ages for the right absence of colour.” Emma asked, like she was simply requesting specific brand of soap in her local market.
“Ah, those as you know... Well, ah yes...Of course Ms. Frost. Let me consult with the manager...” The seller said nervously and hurried off to have a word with the manger. Emma had a reputation amongst the jewelers as a woman who spent obscene amounts of money if she was offered the things she wanted. That guaranteed the most enthusiastic attitude everywhere.
Emma glanced behind her back to the area of the regular customers. Jubilation moved amongst a cackling flock of girls at the end of one the long glass desks, like she belonged to the group. Emma inspected the details: the height, the slender frame, the worn out jeans with a designer scarf around the waist. It was a good illusion of rich kid playing street smart with daddy's platinum Visa. But when you got a glimpse of her mind the truth was evident like a flaw inside: her mind was bent around the sharp spike of hunger. Food. Money. The pretty things others had. Shiny colours. Emma smiled with genuine pleasure. She knew how to make flaws work for her benefit. Emma waited with interest what would be the girl’s next move.
Ms. Lee chose to loiter closer by staring, as though she was bored, inside the glass cases and their shiny contents before bumping against Emma’s chair like it was a clumsy accident. The practiced bump knocked Emma's bag onto the floor and where Jubilee picked it up, accompanying it with a long string of apologies. While talking she palmed the credit cards with a swift move before offering the purse back with an innocent smile. But that was as far as her little act got her.
“Very skilled dear. But you have to give them back. There is a diamond I want to buy.” Emma said nonchalantly, snatching a firm hold onto the girl. She stared boldly back at Emma, her eyes black like obsidian stone. There was no fear, only a hard surface.
Emma smiled and it was the type of smile that took no prisoners. Her grip tightened and the sharp, well manicured nails dug painfully into the girl’s skin.
“You are insane lady! Let go of me!” The girl hissed and there was a warm, electrifying feeling bubbling on the spot where Emma's hand touched hers.
*Using THAT skill would be a serious miscalculation, Ms. Lee.* Emma's mental voice slit into Jubilee's mind like an injection needle, the tip of the thought pressing against the inner flaw, the weak spot, where it hurt the most. She yelped from the pain and the electrical feeling stopped.
There was a clear image of how Jubilee’s instincts told her to run and Emma let her keep the thought for a bit, just for fun. Then she tore the thought apart. All hope of getting free from Emma's grip destroyed slowly so that the young Jubilation would have enough time to learn.
But the girl just shuddered from pain, bringing back up the hard surface. She created another scenario of escape and another and another but Emma destroyed them all, one by one. It was like a cat slapping its prey around letting it flutter its little wings before catching it again.
“Quite done now?” Emma asked calmly, when the tears finally welled up in the girls eyes. Sighing Emma let go of her hand. “I wish I hadn’t had to do that, but you have quite a stubborn streak in you Ms. Lee. It is hard to get your full attention and co-operation.”
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” The girl asked, wiping her face with a back of her hand, trying to stop the tears from flowing. There was the same cold look in her eyes again, but this time it was accompanied with a sweet scent of fear. It filled the air like an exotic perfume. Emma smiled warmly.
“Just some information, little one. But we can discuss it later. Here. A lady should never go out without a handkerchief, if there is anything to be learned about this incident.” Emma pointed out, offering a linen handkerchief with an elaborate monogram of her initials.
“Ms. Frost? I'm sorry to say that we can't offer you the type of diamond you asked.” The seller came back looking disappointed to loose this deal. Emma just nodded and took her credit cards from Jubilee's limb hand, choosing one.
“I'll take just the Canary then.” Her smile sparkled as vividly as the light within the yellow diamond.
“As you can see Ms. Frost, it's a very well proportioned Asscher cut. Rare craftsmanship in these days, I might add. And as the colour goes...”
Emma inspected the diamond under a loupe. The colour was truly amazing, as her dealer had promised over the phone. A clear, intense yellow that was almost impossible to find. The cut was the best she had ever seen. It directed her gaze straight into the heart of the stone where a fiery light shone. There was an inclusion there - a tiny flaw, hard to catch unless you had a trained eye for it. Emma Frost had the skill. She purchased diamonds like a priest preached; as an act of holy duty and salvation. When a diamond belonged to her, it was if she had found another piece of her own self. The yellow diamond had been hers the moment she had laid her eyes on it.
“Yes, I agree. The Canary Bird would be closest thing to compare it to. 2.33 carats you said?” Emma asked politely to get the bargaining in gear. She placed the stone back in its black velvet cushion and sat back, not really listening to what the man said. Her attention had suddenly turned to something much more interesting. A young Asian girl had stepped into the store.
*Jubilation Lee, just the girl I've been looking for... Truly, you ask and you will receive.*
The girl’s mind was wandering over trivial thoughts and Emma wanted her full attention. An image of Emma's Chanel handbag carelessly tossed over the chair was shot to the girl’s head before quickly fading away. It was an easy bait and the girl fell for it, glancing directly at Emma's handbag. There were so many ugly endings within this scenario that Emma couldn't help but smile. Now she just needed to get rid of this seller.
“Yes, I can come terms with this price... You wouldn't have any diamonds in the class VS2 in G or H colour range? I have been searching for ages for the right absence of colour.” Emma asked, like she was simply requesting specific brand of soap in her local market.
“Ah, those as you know... Well, ah yes...Of course Ms. Frost. Let me consult with the manager...” The seller said nervously and hurried off to have a word with the manger. Emma had a reputation amongst the jewelers as a woman who spent obscene amounts of money if she was offered the things she wanted. That guaranteed the most enthusiastic attitude everywhere.
Emma glanced behind her back to the area of the regular customers. Jubilation moved amongst a cackling flock of girls at the end of one the long glass desks, like she belonged to the group. Emma inspected the details: the height, the slender frame, the worn out jeans with a designer scarf around the waist. It was a good illusion of rich kid playing street smart with daddy's platinum Visa. But when you got a glimpse of her mind the truth was evident like a flaw inside: her mind was bent around the sharp spike of hunger. Food. Money. The pretty things others had. Shiny colours. Emma smiled with genuine pleasure. She knew how to make flaws work for her benefit. Emma waited with interest what would be the girl’s next move.
Ms. Lee chose to loiter closer by staring, as though she was bored, inside the glass cases and their shiny contents before bumping against Emma’s chair like it was a clumsy accident. The practiced bump knocked Emma's bag onto the floor and where Jubilee picked it up, accompanying it with a long string of apologies. While talking she palmed the credit cards with a swift move before offering the purse back with an innocent smile. But that was as far as her little act got her.
“Very skilled dear. But you have to give them back. There is a diamond I want to buy.” Emma said nonchalantly, snatching a firm hold onto the girl. She stared boldly back at Emma, her eyes black like obsidian stone. There was no fear, only a hard surface.
Emma smiled and it was the type of smile that took no prisoners. Her grip tightened and the sharp, well manicured nails dug painfully into the girl’s skin.
“You are insane lady! Let go of me!” The girl hissed and there was a warm, electrifying feeling bubbling on the spot where Emma's hand touched hers.
*Using THAT skill would be a serious miscalculation, Ms. Lee.* Emma's mental voice slit into Jubilee's mind like an injection needle, the tip of the thought pressing against the inner flaw, the weak spot, where it hurt the most. She yelped from the pain and the electrical feeling stopped.
There was a clear image of how Jubilee’s instincts told her to run and Emma let her keep the thought for a bit, just for fun. Then she tore the thought apart. All hope of getting free from Emma's grip destroyed slowly so that the young Jubilation would have enough time to learn.
But the girl just shuddered from pain, bringing back up the hard surface. She created another scenario of escape and another and another but Emma destroyed them all, one by one. It was like a cat slapping its prey around letting it flutter its little wings before catching it again.
“Quite done now?” Emma asked calmly, when the tears finally welled up in the girls eyes. Sighing Emma let go of her hand. “I wish I hadn’t had to do that, but you have quite a stubborn streak in you Ms. Lee. It is hard to get your full attention and co-operation.”
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” The girl asked, wiping her face with a back of her hand, trying to stop the tears from flowing. There was the same cold look in her eyes again, but this time it was accompanied with a sweet scent of fear. It filled the air like an exotic perfume. Emma smiled warmly.
“Just some information, little one. But we can discuss it later. Here. A lady should never go out without a handkerchief, if there is anything to be learned about this incident.” Emma pointed out, offering a linen handkerchief with an elaborate monogram of her initials.
“Ms. Frost? I'm sorry to say that we can't offer you the type of diamond you asked.” The seller came back looking disappointed to loose this deal. Emma just nodded and took her credit cards from Jubilee's limb hand, choosing one.
“I'll take just the Canary then.” Her smile sparkled as vividly as the light within the yellow diamond.