Post-Election Party

[broken_brushes]

The election for the new Island Council term were finally finished, and I had the job of posting the results to the Compound bulletin board:

Tabula Rasa Island Council - Term 11

General Representatives:
Shari Cooper
Hermione Granger
Helen Magnus
Anne Shirley
Sookie Stackhouse

New Professional Representatives:Hunting/Fishing/Agriculture - Gale

Comments

[first_pink_lady]

"Hold up, buttercup," Rizzo said, thumbing away the drop of gin and tonic that tried to escape down her chin because she'd pulled her drink away too fast, careful not to disturb her red lipstick while doing so. She flashed a smile, so the gal wouldn't wonder too quick why she'd stopped her. "I love your dress. You gotta secret to clothes box wrangling?"

[honestlyrubbish]

Blinking, Hermione turned and offered a smile- it was starting to feel as though she'd never stop, her cheeks lightly sore from the effort, but it felt good to be constantly expressing positive emotions rather than all of the stress and uncertainty there had been back home. Her heart skipped a beat or two as she recognized Stockard Channing, but for the most part, Hermione kept her composure, smoothing down the skirt of her dress. "Hello," she greeted cheerfully, pleased by the compliment. "Actually, the clothes box doesn't seem to favor me as much as it once did- it tends to give me flashier clothes than I'd like, but usually what I do is gather the salvageable outfits and take them to the Island Boutique before shopping around. Ultimately, I think I prefer being able to search through racks of clothing, rather than leaving it all up to the whims of that dreadful box."

[first_pink_lady]

"True, buckaroo, but I think there's somethin' to be said for gettin' it from the source before anyone else gets their hot little hands on it." Rizzo said, amused as she always was by the myriad of accents on the island - Sandy's Australianese had once seemed so foreign. Still, laziness and boredom would make her a convert to the Boutique soon, she didn't doubt. "But the whims of that dreadful box are a drag."

[honestlyrubbish]

"Oh no, of course, there's something really rather... magical about that box when it offers a perfect outfit," Hermione agreed with an earnest nod; as little as she trusted the island and its whims, she still had to marvel at the magic itself. So many worlds, ages, cultures brought together on a small island, and the magic of each one suppressed in some ways, highlighted in others. Clothing was a small part of it all, granted, but it served as a constant reminder of what Hermione had once, and what she wanted to find again. "But after a while, the need for time weighs out for me. I've always been told that I'm quite the busybody, though."

[first_pink_lady]

"Could do with a little body-busying myself," Rizzo said, twisting the gal's words into something decidedly more risque with a smirking smile.

"You one of those people involved in this whole shindig, then?" Rizzo asked, on a more conversational note, nodding to the general festive atmosphere and the poster conspicuously placed on the bulliten board.

[honestlyrubbish]

Hermione stared for a second before her cheeks flushed pink, curls bouncing as she shook her head. "That's not really what I- erm, that is to say, I simply meant that I generally keep myself busy with work, that I don't like remaining idle for very long," she explained, in spite of the fact that she highly suspected the other girl knew precisely what she'd meant in the first place. "Which, of course, doesn't mean that there isn't value in body-busying, so to speak, but it isn't really my type of avocation."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione worked on mentally calming her nerves. "But yes, I suppose you could say that I'm involved in this whole process. Actually, I've just been elected to office," she said, expression sheepish as she held out a hand. "Hermione Granger."

[first_pink_lady]

Rizzo grinned, because if felt pretty tops to get that reaction out of someone again. Seemed like most of the guys and gals around here had been around the block even more than she had, and, Christ, she missed pushing buttons sometimes.

"No kiddin'. Saw your name on the poster and everything." She was pretty laissez-faire about the whole thing, because she wasn't the kinda chick to get her panties in a twist about something like elections. Still, she did notice these things - she wasn't blind, deaf or dumb, and she was at the goddamn party, for chrisakes. "Rizzo." She said, duly shaking the offered hand. "Delusions of grandeur kickin' in yet?"

[honestlyrubbish]

"Pleasure to meet you, Rizzo," Hermione smiled graciously, feeling glad to speak with someone who didn't seem the type to overly scrutinize or criticize another's role or stance on the Council. There were plenty of individuals on the island who seemed to glorify the station, as far as Hermione could tell, and that was the last thing she wanted. Yes, there were decisions made of a sensitive nature over the years, where personal opinions ended up weighing in a great deal, the cases involving criminals and those of unsound mind. But the majority of the work done by the Council didn't merit any pomp, didn't merit too many pats on the back, otherwise the purpose itself was defeated. The Council was meant to facilitate, as far as Hermione was concerned. Not to be politicians- they couldn't afford to be entirely the latter when the population density was so small and the governmental organizations so horizontal

[first_pink_lady]

Jesus. Even just her last name sounded highfalutin when it was said so politely in that posh accent. Maybe she should just introduce her self as Riz, to ease it up some, or just give it Betty and get it over with, and maybe put on some pearls and an apron to make a real go of it.

"Administration and bureaucracy. Sounds like a barrel of laughs 'n monkeys - you sure you're feelin' okay, signin' up for that on a tropical island?" Rizzo cocked an eyebrow.

[honestlyrubbish]

The next question was easier, reminded Hermione of being up on that stage, somehow stronger then than she felt at the party. She wasn't really sure why that was- maybe she was simply so accustomed to fighting, to pushing against those who doubted, that being put on the spot made her immediately respond. Victory was different. It felt tentative, something towards which Hermione wasn't sure how to feel. There was no war on the island, no way of proving that she was the right one for the job.

But at least she could reason.

"In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure if it's a job that I'll enjoy," Hermione admitted, smiling faintly. "But I'm new enough to the island that everything could be described that way. The fact is that working on the Council will at least give me an opportunity to give back to the community in some way. It's better than being idle, to me."

[first_pink_lady]

"Ah, boredom. The numero uno reason anything productive gets done 'round here." Rizzo said lightly, and went to take a sip from her drink before changing her mind. "Here, have the rest - you need it more than I do." It was true, goodietwoshoes here really did, but also because sharing booze had been the the norm back at old Rydell. Maybe a part of her wanted to see if she turned it down or had her first drink, like Sandy, too.

[honestlyrubbish]

"Well, a desire to make our lives easier and more fulfilling is what drives all progress, yes," Hermione conceded with a soft smile, her gaze flickering away for a moment. There was a great deal that she'd rather be doing, and on some level serving on the Council would only ever be a compromise. But when the drink was offered to her, Hermione blinked, her thoughts pulling back to the present as she eyed the drink warily. "I... thank you, but I don't think I should. I know they say that the first day of the job isn't actually until tomorrow, but there are still a lot of first impressions to be had here, right?"

[first_pink_lady]

Rizzo didn't think that was quite what she said, but she wasn't going to press the point. She honestly didn't care enough - where people got the drive to be Student Council Vice-President or on the Island Council she had no idea, but each to their own. Someone needed to do that shit, after all.

"It'd be a good bonding experience with your future public," Rizzo said with a sly smile, because that sort of conscientious responsibility was fascinating to her. "To know you're just like them and all that."

[honestlyrubbish]

Hermione could appreciate the efforts Annie was going to, and she smiled for it- genuine and warm. While she still wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to down the entire drink, she did relent and take it in her hands, raising a slightly skeptical brow.

"And here I thought usually we tried to encourage diversity," Hermione joked lightly, before offering a conceding nod and taking a small sip. "Better?"

[first_pink_lady]

"Oh, right." Rizzo grinned wide, because she fucking loved that whole diversity concept. She'd always hated the cookie-cutter aspect of back home. She was even more delighted when the gal actually took a sip, and, even better, didn't spit it back out again. "Hugely." Other curiosities about the girl aside, sharing the booze in the first place was supposed to be one of those friendly-gesture things she wasn't so good at these days. "I'll let you get back to your adoring public, but I'll see you around, sugar."