Shield 04 | video

[tactilekonesis]

[Once again, Kon's in the Talon, drinking a huge cup of coffee (which in itself's a bad sign - Kon doesn't really like the taste of it). He stares at the screen blankly for a moment before he goes ahead and asks:]

I know I wasn't here that long, but this Filippo Rescari's offer sounds ridiculous. He said he was the guy that tortured you guys last year - so was he the one that put everyone on reality TV? [There's a long pause as Kon realizes belatedly...] And did he put us on reality TV AGAIN?

I'm kinda wondering now since he was able to watch us and stuff. It's like we're all in one giant episode of the Truman Show - only we know this place's fake and we need to get out fast. I don't know about you guys, but the Talon and Professor's car and Willis's house and Ichijou's weird tub of blood... all those things being here aren't good.

I like the Talon, but I didn't want my world to be affected by this stupid experiment too. Are we still looking for that lab? I think I want in. And if we're not... well, come down and have some coffee. It'll all be on the house. [Nevermind that it was already free in the first place.]

Comments

[fortune_sought]

Dark rooms? [she frowns, confused] Are rooms where you're from never dark?

[tactilekonesis]

Not exactly. [How does he put this...] In the past, film had to be developed in a room without light, or the photos would come out weird. So people created "dark rooms" where they'd take the negatives, put them in some solution, and get the photos developed on paper.

If the lab's what I think it is, it's a dark room - the negatives and the solution should be in there too.

[fortune_sought]

I...see. [she really doesn't. but she does at least get the idea that film has to be in a room that's dark to make photos] Then that's what we're searching for.

[tactilekonesis]

Sounds like it.

[The kettle goes off, so Kon floats over to it and starts pouring her some. He's not much of a tea drinker, so he'll abstain from it this time.] How much milk and sugar do you like?

[fortune_sought]

Oh, I can get that, thank you. [and she moves to join him in order to do so]

Nathan also said that he believes the blueprints showing the location of the other lab should be in one of the rooms we can find.

[tactilekonesis]

He did? So we should head back to the station and look again for clues.

... After tea and cookies, though. [His need for food may be psychological, but dangit if he doesn't want some snacks right now.]

[fortune_sought]

Ah...yes. [she's quite ready to dash off and do something about their situation, but she doesn't want to be rude. not to mention, there might be more for them to discuss before they start their search--and reveal to the people watching this place what they're up to] Thank you. [milk and sugar added, she takes a sip of her tea]

[tactilekonesis]

[He's kind of blase about people watching him at this point. This shouldn't be a nonchalant thing...]

It's really nothing. [He shrugs.] It was my part-time job back home... which boils down to "whenever my cousin was a slave driver," which was every weekend.

[fortune_sought]

Oh, yes! Lori, wasn't it? Then you worked with her often? [she sips her tea]

[tactilekonesis]

Unfortunately. [His grin's lopsided, and honestly, the more he talks about Lori, the more he hopes that whoever's watching will find him boring.]

Father asked me to keep an eye on her, since she doesn't have any powers. Lor's pretty cool when she's not bossing me around to death. Or dating my best friend. That's kind of awkward. [He can't tell Sophie the number of times he's accidentally walked in on them making out...]

[fortune_sought]

I...can imagine. [she isn't sure what else to say. it does make her think of the complications involved in Howl and Lettie's relationship--or rather, the end of it. but it was quite awkward to resolve, all the same]

[tactilekonesis]

[He shrugs, reaching for a tea cookie and eating it.] I got used to it. Plus, it wasn't bad being a barista... once I memorized all the frou-frou names for their drinks.

I don't know why we just can't call something raspberry and mint tea instead of "Berry Blossom Passion Spring Tea."

[fortune_sought]

[she was about to ask what frou-frou even meant, but she thinks she gets the general idea] That does sound rather odd. [thoughtfully] I...don't believe anyone uses names quite like those in Ingary. It's much easier to simply call something by what it is, after all.

[tactilekonesis]

Isn't it? [He's making faces just thinking about the names. Some're still written on the Talon walls, each with a equally ludicrous title.] I don't make up the names, I just pretend they don't exist whenever someone insists on using them.

Did you have the same kinds of drinks in Ingary?

[fortune_sought]

Well, I don't know exactly what they were in your world, but we have different teas and the like, yes.

[she looks around at the walls as she sips her tea] My sister's first magic tutor was a pleasant woman who would mix honey into absolutely everything. Some of these remind me a bit of that--the same ingredients, but mixed a bit differently.

[tactilekonesis]

Luckily for you, I don't know what they are either. [He's being completely serious: working at the Talon didn't give him a degree in Teaology. He just knows their frou-frou variants!

He leans forward, tapping his fingers against the counter lightly.] She probably made them better too. [Wait, that didn't sound good, so he amends:] I mean, she had more experience than I did - even if honey did go into everything.

[fortune_sought]

[she smiles, disbelieving] Really? Is Lori not the sort who would have mentioned it if you'd made them badly? Or the customers, for that matter. [her expression is thoughtful--and a bit nostalgic] But yes, Mrs. Fairfax did seem to be quite good at practical magic. [because she remembers how easily Martha found the spell to allow her and Lettie to swap places]

[tactilekonesis]

I know what the drinks are in my world, but I don't know how they'd compare to yours. That should be someone's superpower: being a walking tea and coffee encyclopedia. I'm sure it'd pay well.

[Or not at all, but that's not Kon's priority right now.] So did you learn practical magic from her too? Or was that just your sister?

[fortune_sought]

[to Sophie's practical mind, she can see a use for that] I suppose, if you went about it in the right way--medicines and remedies and the like.

Me? [her surprise at the question is obvious] Oh, no! I've not received any magical training. I'm the eldest, you see. [the way she says that clearly implies that she thinks it explains everything]

[tactilekonesis]

[Except that it has explained absolutely nothing.]

Aaand the oldest doesn't get to learn magic? How come?

[fortune_sought]

Oh, it's not that! It's... [she pauses, thinking about this. she knows now that a lot of her notions about what the eldest should do were simply wrong. but still, her original plans for the future were practical--if a bit too based on what she thought was expected of her]

Well. I was meant to inherit the family business, so it hardly seemed proper. Martha is the youngest, so she seemed most suited to a long apprenticeship in magic. [she frowns, remembering how badly she had misunderstood her sisters] But as it turned out, Lettie wanted to learn magic, so she and Martha switched places after the apprenticeship began.

[tactilekonesis]

[It's still not making much sense to him.] So you just can't learn magic on the side? It's gotta be something you end up doing, like... like a job?

Man, our worlds are so different. [Kon shakes his head.] I grew up having to keep my powers a secret, so any kind of formal apprenticeship like that was out of the question.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie, on the other hand, is surprised by that question] Of course. Though...I suppose if you were rich enough, you could pay for lessons if you liked. But most people who put in the time and effort to become a witch or wizard of decent skill make a career of it.

[she frowns at that statement, not sure what to make of it] I...imagine that was difficult. Is magic forbidden on your world?

[tactilekonesis]

I wouldn't say forbidden. Most people don't believe magic exists, so wizards and witches usually kept their powers hidden and had other day jobs.

Except for Zatanna, but no one thinks a stage magician can perform real magic.

[fortune_sought]

Really? [her expression shows both her surprise and confusion] Whatever for? Wouldn't it be simpler to show that magic is real?

[curious] A "stage" magician? I'm not certain I understand what you mean by that.