Xaviers!

It took a bit of time, but once he was established at the school Ainsley had no issue obtaining a buskers license from local city council.

He made sure to go out of his way not to look anything like he did the day he pulled a fast one on the cops, just for safety precautions. He never would have bothered in London because the cops there had better things to do than follow through on permits, but he figured Maldon might not be as forgiving and he wasn't angling to bring any wrath down upon the headmistress.

Who he'd never actually seen in person now that he reflected on it.

He didn't reflect on it for long, setting out his sign that read 'Sketch of you, £10. Large works negotiable.'

He then started sketching a pigeon to warm up.

((Open))

Natalie had made a rare trip to town, wanting to poke around the shops and see what she could find in a second hand shop or two. As she passes Ainsley, she stops and takes a second look, processing his appearance through some arcane bit of memory. Finally, she says, "Hello."

Ainsley looked at her for a moment, then recognized her as Shari's friend and smiled back, waving politely.

He put 'How are you?' on paper, right next to his pigeon doodle.

Natalie looks at the paper and pauses for a moment. Then something clicks. A couple of quick searches and she pulls in a piece of new code, blinking a couple of times. "I'm doing well. Would you try signing? I think I should be able to translate it."

'Of course.' He responded in BSL.

'What brings you into Maldon? Shopping? Hot date?'

"Shopping," she says, "No hot dates for me I'm afraid. How are you adjusting to the school?"

Ainsley shrugged and smirked.

'Well enough, have slept in refrigerate cube so not hard to please.'

He joked. Maybe? It was hard to tell.

"You were on the streets with Shari," Natalie says, trying to helpfully confirm how much she knows about Shari's past. "The school's a nice place to be."

'Yes. School is okay. Comfortable.

You're playmates? Shari and you?'

That was a weird choice of words.

She blinks, rechecking the translation but mentally shrugging. "Not... really? We're friends, but not... romantic. Not anymore anyway."

Ainsley responded strangely, looking like he had just been provided some information he hadn't asked for.

'Oh. I'm sorry.

Therapy shopping then?'

"Just shopping shopping," she says. "What about you?"

' Pimping myself.'

That one was actually intentional though Natalie may not have realized it's intent.

'Got to put food on the table.'

Natalie blinks again, then nods, "I suppose. Do a sketch for me?"

'Of you?'

"Sure," she says, "that's what you're sketching right?"

'Yes!

Make yourself snuggly.' He said motioning to the other side of the bench he was sat upon.

Natalie sat down, sitting still... almost too still.

Ainsley didn't encourage her to speak, mainly because talking with his hands meant he'd work slower.

He also didn't ask her to do any certain thing, simply drawing her as she was.

It would take just ten minutes for Ainsley to render her in a semi-realistic image, shoulders up. Her expression looked just a bit sad, her eyes sharp and intelligent. His style betrayed the fact he started by mimicking anime and manga, and branched out from there.

He turned his arpad to show her.

She looks at it and tilts her head. "It's nice," she says with a nod, reaching down to fish in her bag for her wallet.

Ainsley shakes his head, then signs.

'No, for free. Shari's playmate is my playmate.'

She blinks again at the verbiage, trying to figure out why he chose that sign. "Are you sure? I don't mind paying you. That's why you're out here."

"We have to look out for playmates, right?

You can do me a favour later."

“Okay,” she says, mostly managing to sound sure, “If you’re sure you don’t want me to pay you.”

He started to shake his head again then paused.

"Got a skill?"

"I'm pretty handy with computers and stuff."

"If Shari or I's things break, I will come to you, and you can pay me back then.

Sound fair?"

Natalie nods, "Sounds fair. I'm usually out at the Point these days, so that's the best place to usually find me."

"The robot house?"

"That's... probably accurate," she acknowledges after a moment.

"The mistress is creepy." He replied.

"She takes some getting used to, but she's pretty cool once you get to know her," Natalie says, maybe a bit defensively.

Ainsley made a sign, then made it again, and again and again and again, ad nauseam.

To her translating program, it turned into:

"Watchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatchingwatc-"

He didn't seem to be stopping.

"Well, there's a lot of stuff in the Point that needs watching," she says with a small huff.

He stopped.

"You friends? You and mistress? Your mum?"

"Friends yes, but she's not my mum. I just... am closer to understanding how she thinks than most people."

"Will admit don't know her well.

Not best first meet up though."

"She does often make a bad first impression," Natalie allows.

"That's OK.

Shari too." He joked, grinning.

"Shari can be... very enthusiastic," Natalie agrees.