A simple thread...nothing witty or clever. Enjoy!

[gwen]

Swish, swish, tap, tap.

Gwen, turquoise skirt swishing and heels clickng, made her way down the streets of Hogsmeade, picnic basket on her arm. Having woken up early, and seen what a marvelous day it was outside compared to the day before this. The sun shone brightly though it wasn't hot because the wind blew lightly. A smile on her face bright enough to rival the sun, she stepped toward Zonko's Joke Shop. After all, what good was a picnic alone? And Greg was her friend...it was just a matter of pursuading him to leave his store on such a busy school Hogsmeade day.

Pushing open the door, she sighed as she weaved through the students. Eventually, Gwen gave up on making it in her present state, so she pulled the basket onto her head, giving herself a slightly odd, but interesting look. She grinned as she managed to balance it on her head, and she finished her way to Greg, having located him sometime between the door and here. She tapped him on the shoulder because he was helping another customer. "Hello, Greg. Lovely day isn't it? A perfect one for say....a picnic?" She smiled sweetly, as she waited for him to turn around, intent on eventually convining him to come on a picnic.

[sindarin]

"Gwen!" exclaimed Greg, taking in her full appearance. He really loved turquoise, and somehow it looked even better on her. Then he looked out the window. He sighed. "It does look like a perfectly wonderful day for a picnic." Especialy after three straight weeks of nonstop work at the joke shop. Honestly, all this work was even starting to affect his mood, and as soon as he noticed that he became majorly concerned. The joke shop was his paradise! It was never supposed to make him moody!
He now realized that he had been staring out the window for a long time. He turned back to Gwen. "A picnic does sound wonderful, but I don't know how I could ever find time to leave the shop long enough to enjoy one," he said sadly.

[gwen]

Gwen nodded, understanding completely. She did understand, really, but she also had been expecting this answer...now...how to continue with her convincing task. "Yes, you always seem busy here; everytime I come in you seem up to your ears in work. I don't see how you do it. I mean, granted, a bit more traffic in the bar would be lovely, but I don't think I could handle it all the time. It'd be too stressful." At this point, she set the picnic basket on the ground (for it was getting heavy) and titled her head--all in one smooth movement. "Come to think of it, you do look a bit over-worked. Are your assistance not helping out enough? Or are you simply too busy?"

She paused, looking around the shop, and was dismayed to see that it did indeed seem to be just too busy to leave. But...after all, a break was needed every now and then, right? Gwen looked back at Greg before continuing. "You know what I think? I think you need a break. Really, I do. If you do something for too long it gets uninteresting and tiresome, even something you love. Sometimes a break is needed to make you realize how much you really do love it. I'm sure your assistants could hold down the shop for one day...and even if they couldn't and you had to close early...it's just one day. And you really look like you could use the rest. After all, what better way to spend a break than a picnic on a beautiful day with your friend?" She grinned, hoping that she was persuasive enough. She really wanted to go on a picnic; it had been ages since her last one.

[sindarin]

"I disagreeistants?" ((teehee)) he asked, glancing back at the main counter where Gizelle was tending to the customers, and where Joe was busy restocking the nearby fireworks shelf. "No, they do a wonderful job. I think it's high time I hired another, actually."
He paused, glancing around at the shelves and happy shoppers. He touched his hand to his chin, as if trying to work out something complicated. Then he lowered his hand again.
"You know what? The customers are doing my job for me today. They don't even need me demonstrating the merchandise," he said, deciding that it was indeed about time for a break. "Give me about five minutes to help Joe with the restocking, and then let's go have a picnic!"

[gwen]

[[-laughs-]]

Gwen's face broke into an even brighter smile. Finally, a picnic...and what a lovely day for one. "That sounds marvelous! You have no idea how excited that makes me. None at all. Oh! I'm positively thrilled." She continued to smile as she nodded in agreement at him helping Joe with the restocking. A fair price to pay for a lovely picnic later...more than fair really. "Okay. I'll wait outside. It's much too lovely of a day to be inside. I'll see you soon!" She picked up the picnic basket and, once again balancing it on her head, made it out of the store, to wait for Greg to join her outside. Goodness, it was going to be a marvelous day.

[]

[sindarin]

((yeah, that's what I was thinking too))

Greg walked over to Joe, nearly being trampled at every turn. The customers certainly didn't need him much today. If anything, he was just in their way right now. *Students,* thought Greg annoyed as they pushed past him and walked right in front of him. Yes, he definitely needed a break.
He finally reacheed Joe. "Joe, if it's alright with you and Gizelle I'll be taking a break for a while," he said as he bent down to take things from the boxes onto the shelves.
"Of course, Greg, you're the boss! We'll be just fine, so don't worry."
"Great, and I really appreciate all your help. I just don't think the customers need much of a salesman today. They're vicious enough as it is, and feeding that fire would result in no good!"
"I agree," said Joe. "I'll let Gizelle know, you just enjoy yourself."
"Thanks," said Greg, standing up and placing the last wet-start firework on the shelf. "And if you need me, Elia is in her cage in the back. Feel free to use her and I'll apparate back in a hurry."
"Alright, boss, go have fun," said Joe, heading to the back to get more boxes.
Feeling much better already, Greg made his way to the exit.
"Shall we?" he said to the girl in the turquoise skirt.

[gwen]

Gwen leaned up against the brick wall that made up part of Zonko's, setting her picnic basket down beside her as she did so. Her face turned up toward the sun, and her eyes closed; she was drinking in the warmth of the sunlight. It was positively magical. She was completely relaxed--an oddity really. But it was nice.

This is where she was when Greg exited the shop. She turned to him, blinking her eyes to adjust them back to the light. "Yes, I believe we shall." Gwen picked up the picnic basket and began to make her way down the streets of Hogsmeade, a place in mind. "So, how were Gizelle and Joe about letting you off? Did they give you any trouble?"

[sindarin]

"Allow me," he said, taking the rather feminine-looking basket from Gwen. He held it daintily as they walked along. "I talked to Joe, and he was pretty convinced they've got it all under control. It really is one of those situations where more people doesn't necesarily help the situation. What all those kids are doing inside on a day like this, however, I have no idea!" he exclaimed, raising his arms (and the basket) towards the heavens and shutting his eyes, breathing in the fresh air, his skin tingling in the sunlight. He turned to look closely at Gwen as they walked.
"Thank you," he said seriouly. "I really needed this."

[gwen]

Gwen giggled a bit as Greg took the basket...it was a bit odd to see him carrying the rather frilly lavendar-cloth lined basket. A bit too amusing not to point out. "Greg...that certainly adds to your outfit. I may have to buy a new one for myself so you can carry it all the time...would you like that?" She laughed again.

"It is an absolutely magical day. An almost perfect one really. And you get to spend it with me. Aren't you lucky?" Gwen teased. "Seriously though, I don't think I could stand being inside on a day like this. I'd go mad."

She smiled genuinely at Greg. "You're quite welcome. I woke up this morning and thought, 'It's a lovely day. A picnic is in order. Who is another over-worked (or rather underworked in my case) shop owner that could use a break?' Naturally, the only name that came to mind was yours. It was a huge plus that I actually knew you. Honestly, though, thank you for coming. I needed a break from the pub. Something entirely different. As a matter of curiousity, do you know where we're headed?"

[sindarin]

"As long as I can carry it every day on the way to a picnic with you, my dear," he replied loftily. He would, of course, be doing no such thing as carrying around this frilly purple basket on his own time.

"Quite lucky," said Greg, smiling at his friend. "In fact, the insanity is going down already. I can almost feel my brain turning its normal shade of pink." In insanity, Greg always believed, the brain turned shades of tye-dye orange. No need for further questions. "I actually have no idea where we're headed, I'm following you," he said. "Where are we headed this fine day?"

[gwen]

Gwen laughed. "I do believe a picnic every day would become rather dull. So, I suppose it shan't become part of your wardrobe. What a shame...how well it matched!" She giggled again--the mere thought was amusing.

Her eyebrow raised slightly at Greg's comment about his brain turning back to pink. "And what shade, may I ask, is it when you're going insane? Chartruese?" She grinned, interested to see what color he was thinking. "You have no idea? Well, in that case...you'll either have to guess or wait until we get there. Because I am not going to ruin the surprise. Not that it was originally a surprise...but now it is!" They were nearing the place she had intended for them to have the picnic...just another bend to round and a few more steps...

[sindarin]

Greg glanced down to look at what he was wearing. How on earth did this girl claim a frilly purple basket matched well with his black leather jacket and green robes? She's mad. But so cute. If only Greg could figure out what was in her head. He'd have to keep trying. He sighed.

"My brain... no, it's not worth explaining. I guess it's just a joke that started up with Fred, George and Lee and me in our sixth year... In short, the three of us differed in our opinions of what color the brain turns under mental stress, causing insanity. Personally my investigations led to results in the color of Orange, and I'm sticking to it." He glanced over to see if Gwen thought maybe his brain was orange right now.
"Well, I'd certainly never say no to a good surprise. Now, let's see... where could you be taking me? Hogsmeade is so big... are we almost there?" he asked as they walked along a nice path of mostly light brown and cream colors.

[gwen]

Gwen giggled once more as Greg appeared to be trying to figure out how the purple matched the black and green. She had been teasing, not that purple and green couldn't go together, they just didn't exactly match. Imagine if he was wearing lavender. My, what a sight that would be! She tried to stifle her giggles in an attempt to listen, and after a bit of trying, she managed.

"Orange? Really? A dark or bright orange. I believe mine would turn...magenta. But...wait. You said investigations? What kind of investigations?" Gwen skipped ahead a bit not answering right away. She turned to face him as she spoke, walking backwards as she did so."Yes, we're getting close. Do you want to guess before we get there?" She turned back around and decided she was tiring quickly of her skirt. With a quick silent spell, she changed them into turquoise capris instead. And as she waited for Greg to answer, she did a few cartwheels and one back-handspring. She didn't think of it at the time as showing off, put perhaps subconsciously she was.