[ Action, Voice ] Onions have layers, ogres have layers .002

[talentsgirl]

[Today Molly Carpenter is in your community buildings, exploring the floors and kitchens and opening (hopefully unoccupied!) random doors. Why is she doing this? She's not quite settled that Community Building Six is the best place for her and Harry to be, so far away from town, and collect evidence to present her case. Also - hey, strolling down someone's apartment corridor could be a great way to meet people!

And secretly, she's looking for thresholds. It makes sense that there aren't any here - five years, at most, being kept in a place against your will - could that even form a threshold? She didn't know, but it was so terribly contrary to her understanding of magic that she had to investigate.

Later in the day, a series of filters starting at 5 and not working their way up past 15 percent will appear in the journal followed by a voice post.]


[Filter at 5 percent]
Testing, testing... so you actually can do this.
[Filter at 10 5 percent]
Testing... drat.
[Filter at 10 7 percent]
Test, test - man, I thought for sure that would work
[Filter at 15 percent]
Ah-ha! Think I'm getting it now...
[Filter at 20 15 percent]
Test... nope.
[Filter at 20 15 percent]
Maybe this will--
[Filter at 20 15 percent]
Oh, come on!


Hi! So. Sorry if anyone bothered with that. I'm trying to get the hang of this "filtering" thing but it's just not like anything I've ever done before. If a couple wouldn't mind putting up some really low, easy filters in this post against me, I'd really appreciate it. That way I could try to sort of... learn it backwards? Thanks.

Comments

[talentsgirl]

[Oh, that's infinitely better, thank you.

And she doesn't even have to force interest.]

Really? What was that like?

[greenjacketed]

Hot. [ he confesses. and there were too many vultures. however... ] I liked it. I liked India. They make a drink, there...oh, it's something to taste. Arrack.

[talentsgirl]

Arrack? [She gets the pronunciation... right! Go, Molly.]

I've never heard of it. What kind of drink is it?

[greenjacketed]

Liquor. And strong liquor, at that. If the army couldn't drum up our rum rations, we got it instead.

[talentsgirl]

[Strong liquor really isn't one of Molly's Things. New experiences, though, are.]

Maybe the bar here has it. They have stuff from all over the place.

[They even have Romulan Ale, which Molly is determined to try... one day when she doesn't have to get up the next day.

Because. Come on. It's Romulan Ale.]

They even have drinks I've only heard about in stories!

[greenjacketed]

Maybe. Wouldn't be so bad to taste it again. India was good to me.

[talentsgirl]

[...you sound like you're getting nostalgic and/or depressed, which is really the opposite of what anyone needs. So.]

This sounds like it calls for an investigation. It so happens that I happen to be near town. If it so happens that you would also like to investigate, then it might be possible to collaborate in about... ten minutes or so.

[greenjacketed]

Aye. Molly. I'll gladly collaborate with you.

Ten minutes -- pub?

[talentsgirl]

[With mock solemnity:] For the sake of the investigation.

/yeah yeah prose

[greenjacketed]

And so -- in ten minutes sharp -- Richard stood outside the doors to Good Spirits. A soldier learned to be timely and exact in his schedule and while the Major had never owned a watch, he had never truly felt the need of one. The sun served as well as a clock-face and his body had a good sense for the passing hours.

It should be noted that he looked very smart indeed, despite his still-absent green jacket. His trousers were brushed down and his shirt was creamy white and clean. Somehow, the man had re-learned how to shave without Harper there to help him.

and now everything matches aka: in which I get derailed forever looking for Molly's outfit

[talentsgirl]

A proper shave was certainly a key part of a gentleman's wardrobe, and Molly does not fail to notice that he is looking very sharp indeed. She, on the other hand, is wearing distressed jeans, boots, a belted green tunic and light jacket. Three buttons on the top of the tunic were undone, revealing the white wife-beater beneath that managed to hide most of the tattoo which started up above the neckline.

She smiles when she sees him. "You beat me!"

[greenjacketed]

"First thing a private learns in training, Molly? Don't you dare ever be late. They'll have your hide, they will." A lop-sided smile. He couldn't help but adore her choice of colour palette and has never failed to admire a woman in trousers. Yet again, he thought of Teresa.

His gaze touched and lingered only briefly on the visible lick of ink before he turned abruptly and opened the door for her.

[talentsgirl]

It wasn't very often Molly felt self-conscious about her choice of clothes or any of her tattoos - and in fact, self-conscious wasn't what she was feeling right now. She was who she was. But right now she was out of time, place, and even space, and she wondered what of herself she was communicating to others of a different world or era with her choices.

"Thank you," she said, and moved to enter the Good Spirits, which was, she thought, a horrible pun. "How have you been?"

[greenjacketed]

"As well as any soul could expect to be in a situation like this one. You, lass?"

He tapped the side of his thumb against his thigh. He wanted to tell her about his mate Dresden and learning that she and he were from the same Chicago. Anxious, indeed, for this conversation. But he allowed it to rest as they approached the counter.

[talentsgirl]

Not to fear, Sharpe. Molly's got no reason to keep it a secret, and Harry being here is really the best thing ever.

"Good! Better than I thought I would when I last saw you," she confides as they approached the bar. "My boss from home is here."

[greenjacketed]

"Aye," he responded with a sly glance over his shoulder. "And he tells me you make a fine mug of coffee. Though why anyone'd want to drink that stuff is beyond my reckoning."

[talentsgirl]

She gasped softly and craned her head to catch the expression on his face, "You know Harry?"

Way to go, boss! Who knew you were that sociable.

...and then a mental record scratch occurred. When had this happened? And why was Harry talking up her coffee?

[greenjacketed]

"Met'im on my first night here, lass. Didn't realize the pair of you knew each other until that blasted affair for all us new recruits."

[talentsgirl]

"Oh." Clearly, she and Harry were going to need to compare notes, not just on the random X-Men and Jedi that they met, but on the other people as well.

...wait a minute. "You were at that party?" Mild accusation. "I didn't see you there."

Dodging out on her, were you, Major Sharpe? As evidenced, of course, by the fact that she is now able to take a seat next to you on the bar with ease.

[greenjacketed]

"Oh, don't take it personally. I'm not a man for formal gatherings."

He tucked his sword away against his leg to avoid it tangling with the stool-legs, climbing up as well.

[talentsgirl]

But it was also disturbing to her that she didn't see him there. You'd think one of the few people she knows here would stand out - where was her head? She spoke simply.

"If I'd seen you, I would have said 'hi.'" And then she shrugged slightly, "I guess we missed each other."

[greenjacketed]

A twinge of guilt boiled in his belly. Aye, he had seen the woman across the room but hadn't been sure how to approach her for a second meeting. The men had been much easier when it came to striking up conversation.

"Honest to goodness," he insisted. "I didn't stay long."

Of course, there was a warmth to be found in the slight indication that missing him had bothered her. He selfishly held onto that. "Next time, eh?"

[talentsgirl]

"If we're here long enough for another party?" The more neutral look slid off her face as she tilted her head to give him a sidelong glance. "You'd better believe it."

Clearly, Molly was deeply offended by this oversight. It was indicated in the way the corners of her lips were quirking up.

[greenjacketed]

"A bottle of arack, if you have it," he asked of the bartender before the bewildered stranger sent themselves off to peer at scrawled labels and stamps on boxes. Sharpe glanced back at Molly.

"A'course, don't even have my proper uniform. Let alone a dress uniform."

He had felt rather naked without his shinier buttons on. Not that he preferred the official dress uniform. God, no. But there was propriety and it had to be maintained.

[talentsgirl]

She glanced down his outfit, taking in again the neatly brushed-down trousers and the clean, nearly pressed white shirt. "That must be strange - to be out of uniform."

Her gaze takes on a shade of concern as she briefly lifted her eyes to his. "Do you think it would be better or worse to have it without your-" what was the word? "regiment?"

Was that the word?