The following morning Rose awoke with a sore back and feeling not very hygienic at all. Rose had opted to stay in a cheap hotel rather than returning to the apartment that she had once shared with her ex-wife. Rose thought that it would be too awkward for the pair of them to board in the apartment after the events prior so she insisted that she could find another place to stay. Convincing Kanaya was hard enough but when it came down to actually finding exactly where to sleep, Rose had been stumped.
Luckily she found a business card from one of her old friends from university, Aradia, who'd recommended the place because she claimed to have known the owner. To be quite honest Rose thought the setup of the faded white and deep blue hotel was tacky and needed work. But as Aradia had stated they charged cheap nightly and the owner was nice enough, although he was prone to perspire often. Unlike other hotels, it was located in a nice part of town, not somewhere shady and polluted like the stereotype fits. A few blocks over there was a charming shopping center that lined the bridge and river that cut through the cityscape.
Sighing, Rose reached for her hastily packed suitcase and changed into fresh clothes. She dawned a simple lavender one piece with black leggings and her mothers old black and purple scarf. Her fingers traced the long garment fondly before fastening it around her neck.
It'd been awhile since she'd talked to, or even seen her mother. It'd been a long time since Rose had talked to anybody within the close knit of friends she had made so long ago. Before brooding emotions of guilt could consume and depress her as they had yesterday Rose set to making her bed properly and clearing the room of her belongings. Rose intended to accomplish the goal of finding and buying a new apartment just for herself in one day.
As Rose clicked the door shut she considered the impossibility of the goal she'd set for herself but continued on. She certainly did not want to live out of some cheesy hotel for the rest of her life. The last thing she wanted to do was become of one those love lost divorcee who let life swallow her whole because of emotional turmoil.
That would not be her.
Rose encountered the manager, Equius, and what seemed to be his girlfriend, who dawned a green trenchcoat topped off with a electric blue hat depicting a feline, and handed over the key, bidding thanks. The green eyed girl peered on at Rose as the two conversed before stopping Rose as she was about to leave.
"I know you may feel purr-etty lonely but that wont last very long. You're purr-fect someone is closer than you think. That's what my instinct says!" chirped the girl mysteriously until skipping away in the opposite direction.
"Nepeta!" groaned Equius," I told you to stop predicting the love lives of strangers! It's not of etiquette!" he followed after her grasping at a handkerchief hanging from his pocket.
Equius turned his head back quickly before leaving ," Goodbye Ms. Lalonde and thank you for you're stay. Please don't take what she said to heart. Nepeta loves to meddle..." and he was gone.
Rose walked the couple of blocks towards the shopping center she had spotted on the taxi ride there. The air was cold but the season was amidst the awkward inbetween from summer to autumn. It was warm but cold, yet still nice enough to spend the day out for a walk. She passed bakeries and eateries of every kind. Rose noted the cafe on her walk as well, adding to her mental notes that she would visit them soon. It was not until she approached a particular shop that she had decided to enter.
The sign stated in blunt and playful handwriting: " CASEY'S TOY & JOKE SHOP"
Upon entering the establishment Rose inwardly questioned herself for coming into a toy shop of all places before finding herself in front a treasure trove of toys. It was as if the entire spectrum of toys were gathered and placed expertley about the room. There were the classic items such as teddy bears or fire trucks or wooden train sets and more modern items such as light flashing robots or whizzing helicopters. Rose took in the sights of the childish items. It had been years since she'd set foot into a toy store, much less a joke shop. She took notice of the high population of customers in the vicinity, eyes finding the much smaller "joke" section of the store in comparison. Her legs wandered about the mystical place, tinkering and smiling at the snuggly fit shelves.
Just before the entry way that read "joke shop" Rose's eyes were met with something that shot waves of nostalgia through her body.
Squiddles.
Her hands leafed through the many colors of the retro shaped critters her smile widening with each touch. These reminded her so much of her friends. Jade, a somewhat dorky but sweet and cheerful girl, who'd adored the aquatic charm of Squiddles in the same intensity that Rose had once had as a little girl. It made her think of her ironic brother that seemed to drive her on edge. That train of thought also lead her to think about the equally dork brother of Jade,John, who'd always known how to make her laugh. Of course Rose had loved Squiddles truthfully for a while but remembered admitdley to vandalizing the design of their round cuteness to look meaner and more hung her head a bit lower at the embarrassment of the "goth" kid image she'd tried to form of her 13 year old self. She felt a bit ashamed but not regretful of those days, because admittedly she was still keen to the "gothic" look, if there was any way to word it.
Hand still leafing through the squiddles she'd finally found the lone purple toned squiddle among the ground.
As she turned the squiddle forwards, she did not meet the stitched round eyes, but the exact replica pair of slanted eyes that had mounted her shirt so many years ago.
Taken aback Rose stepped away slightly but her movement was quick and she stumbled into something. Somebody.
Her head snapped quickly her urgent slips of apologies already flying from her mouth to find a small girl. Her hands which had seemed to have been full of all the squiddles,Rose had absentmindedly been dropping to the ground were now spattered about the floor of the store.
"I'm so sorry!" Rose cried reaching a hand out to the little one," I was so caught up in my memories that I've caused you so much trouble!"
Rose began taking scoopfuls of squiddles in her arms after helping the girl up. The girl dusted herself off and looked at the strange woman with odd violet eyes. She smiled.
"I'm totally fine!" beamed the girl," You're no trouble at all! My dad loves squiddles alot too! He made every one of those by hand! That purple one you've got there is super special though!" continued the girl happily.
Rose who had nearly gathered the dropped squiddles and placed them back carefully, smiled at the girl before realizing that she was still clutching to the purple squiddle she'd referenced. The girl teetered on her heels while blowing a bright blue piece of bubblegum into a perfect bubble. The girls hair was a golden blonde and wore bright yellow overalls to match.
"I'm Casey by the way!"
Rose tilted her head slightly, perplexed and amused by her behavior. Although the past 3 years Rose had never been around children or really desired any, she always held a certain fondness for the whimsical aura of innocence they held. Rose straightened herself slightly and offered the girl a hand.
"My name is Rose."
"And my name is John!"
Both Rose and Casey's heads turned in unison to the voice coming from a tall, ebony haired man, embellished with a whirling yellow and blue joke bowtie below unmistakable curved white teeth.
