Souvenirs!

[seawalled]

[Ellie's usually cheerful face is a little subdued, given the news from the Bureau, but she's still smiling a bit ... even if she looks a bit tired.] Hullo, all. I go off on hols and everything's gone pear-shaped...

[she looks down into her tea a bit awkwardly. she's not sure how to express her condolences for people she never knew to people she's just scarcely met. so, she does what she always does when she's emotional and it wouldn't go over well. she reaches down out of sight and hauls up bags. present time!]

Anyways, I brought back a whole carry-on of sweeties and such: biscui-- er, cookies, sorry! -- jelly babies, digestives, tinned beans. [she's unpacking them all as she talks. it's quite a thing. if your character knows A Popular British Snack she's got one in there.] I started getting things I knew I'd miss here, and then I realized it's a small enough network and I'd be silly not to bring things back so you could all 'ave a little something. It's not all sweet or food, there are a couple of lovely wool scarves from the little village near where I stayed ... thin, but they'll keep you warm as anything. I've a blue, a grey, and ... oh, there's a currant-colored one in here somewhere. First come, first serve. I can bring them to you or send, whichever.

Also, um ... if anyone knows of a place looking for a typist, or even a shopkeep, I'd love an inside tip. Sent out about a dozen copies of my C.V. once we got back from the house-sitting, but anything helps.

Comments

[chenqing_player]

Are you really offering up all those things to all of us? That's pretty generous.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ And he interrupts as that's what bratty cousins do. ]

I got you a postcard. Never got around to mailing it. Guess it wouldn't have mattered if I did, it never would have made it through the veil or the... horde of attacking robots, that really happen?? It isn't as good as biscuits besides.

I'd recommend snagging the Jammie Dodgers before I do.

[chenqing_player]

Yeah the robot thing really happened or else I was having a really long alcoholic induced hallucination.

What is a Jammie Dodger anyway?

[serpentinthegarden]

Get over! Did you actually see any of these robots?

A Jammie Dodger is only the best biscuit you can find in the whole of the British Isles... if you are a small kid who loves jam. It's pure nostalgia.

[chenqing_player]

I was mostly running in the other direction of them.

[He laughs a little at the description but it is enough to convince him to at least try it.]

If you get to them first just try to save me a bite of one.

[serpentinthegarden]

I can see that. They didn't sound very friendly...

[ At which he pouts as he had just heard about the deaths. ]

I'll try but Alec likes them too. He won't admit that, but he does.

[chenqing_player]

Definitely not friendly. I guess it was lucky that the Bureau decided to let us hide there.

[He spent most of it drinking because...what else is one supposed to do when they are locked in a dorm while the world is seemingly ending?]

I definitely don't want to fight Alec over them.

[serpentinthegarden]

It would be lucky if you were able to poke around.

[ Anthony would have spent his time drinking too if he had been trapped and unable to get into mischief. ]

I wouldn't, he cheats... and makes up stories about ghosts in spooky old houses.

[chenqing_player]

Yeah they didn't really let that happen.

[But the rest of this gets a quirk of an eyebrow.]

Cheats at what and you were telling ghost stories? Let me get a few more memories and I can probably come up with some good ones.

[serpentinthegarden]

Its more fun if they don't let it happen.

[ More difficult too he supposed. ]

We had to go house sit our creepy Great Aunt's place... Alec is always making up stories about it. They probably aren't anywhere near as real as yours would be.

[ But they were still plenty creepy! ]

You alright? I mean... after everything...

[chenqing_player]

I could have pushed the issue but I didn't really want to get kicked out and stepped on by a robot.

[One club singer against the bouncers of the Bureau really didn't seem like a decent match up.]

Sounds like fun. Kidnap me next time.

But yeah, I'm alright. There were others here to keep me company.

[serpentinthegarden]

Good point.

[ He wouldn't have wanted Wei squashed by a bot either. ]

It was just supposed to be a family thing... I had no idea all this was going to happen or I might have. Good thing you kept your head down.

[ He smirked, trying to find some humor in this gloomy return to New York. ]

I'd hate to have to go find a new neighbor.

[chenqing_player]

It would be hard to find another neighbor as wonderful as I am.

[But he also was mildly afraid for his new home.]

Listen, if one of those robots had decided to tear up my new apartment before I got to really enjoy it then there really was going to be hell to pay.

[serpentinthegarden]

Cheek like that is difficult to come by.

Were they smashing up buildings Godzilla-style too?

[chenqing_player]

I just know I heard a lot of shooting and explosions. I did not want to find out the place was shot full of holes.

[serpentinthegarden]

Seems alright. Plants could use a little water but I don't see any additional holes... Haven't been in your place though.

[chenqing_player]

Pretty sure it will be fine. The city popped back to normal like it was some big dream.

[seawalled]

Oh come on, he's saying all this like he didn't think I thought of the two of them hounding them all. I got a whole bunch of Dodgers, dear, you can have a packet if you want.

[chenqing_player]

I look forward to trying it!

[seawalled]

Absolutely! Used to do it with the girls at the office back home whenever I went somewhere on holiday. Don't think we've spoken yet, have we? I'm Ellie.

[chenqing_player]

It's nice to meet you Ellie! My name is Wei Wuxian. Lot of people just call me Xian though.

[seawalled]

Xian, then, alright. Nice to meet you, too. What sort've things do you get up to when you're not getting odd memories popping into your head like the rest of the lot?

[chenqing_player]

That feels like all the time recently. But usually I am a performer. I sing and dance at a club called "The Lotus".

[madman_with_a_box]

Oh, Ellie!

[John is smiling, and looks no worse for the wear, aside from a scrape or two. His dark eyes look a bit alive.]

You missed all the fun. Sad about the people who died, though - I'm trying to reach out and see what I can do to help in the aftermath. [He lets out a breath - he doesn't like that people died, not at all - it's a mixed bag, his emotions on the whole affair.]

I'll take some biscuits, though - and I think I might know of an opening for clerical work on campus, if you don't mind that? I'm happy to look into it for you!

[seawalled]

John! [she won't admit it, but she's happiest to see him]

I heard a bit, yeah. Terrible, absolutely awful. ... How was it fun, though? I'd think it'd have been terrifying. Come get those biscuits yourself and I can take you for tea to go with, so you can tell me about it? And that campus thing, too? I know it's silly to say, all things considered, but I missed your face.

[there's a warmth to it that the other two are far more lacking in most days]

[madman_with_a_box]

Oh, it was scary enough - but it was also fascinating. You have to understand - part of my profession includes the study of potential alien life in the universe, and all of a sudden, I've got patches of alien worlds right bang in the center of Manhattan! It was incredible! Jack and I had a great time - felt like we'd done this a million times before.

[He's already grabbing his wallet and keys.]

Right, I'm on my way! Aw, I missed you too! It is a nice face, I have to say. Makes sense why there's three of them running around, eh? [He winks a bit, cheekily, and stands.]

Meet you at the same place?

[seawalled]

Ohhhh, I don't think you told me about that bit last time, we were a little too busy going on about the Bureau, weren't we? Well, now I want to hear all about that, too.

[a pause] Jack - Jack the singer, Jack? Handsome as all hell, eyes like summer sky, probably nowhere near straight enough for a girl's tastes? You meet through the Bureau?

[are you together, is what she really wants to know.]

[madman_with_a_box]

Oh! Did I not? Oversight on my part, sorry. Happy to talk about my work - it usually sort of goes over people's heads, so I don't always talk about it. But aliens generally interest most people, so I suppose there is that. I promise, I'll make it easy to understand.

[Not that he thinks Ellie is stupid! He will just use laymen's terms instead of difficult scientific terms. However, he's already heading out the door, headphones plugged in, as he watches the screen, and brightens considerably.]

Yeah! That's the one! That Jack, yes. He messaged me on my first entry on the Network, and - well, it's sort of interesting. He knows about the girl I saw in my Memory. This mysterious Rose Tyler - he knows the name. Common enough name I suppose, but it's all sort of - we met for coffee that first night and - You know, maybe I should share this for when we meet up properly, eh? It was almost like I knew him, when I first saw him - but I'd never met him before that night.

[justwords]

Hello!

I don't think we've met yet but I'm Martha. I haven't had a jelly baby in... well it feels like a lifetime now. Scarves too? If you wouldn't mind, I'd love one for one of my patients?

[seawalled]

Hi Martha! Lovely to meet you, I'm Ellie.

Happy to give you a packet of the jelly babies, yeah! And there's a bloke who's already claimed the grey scarf, but if you want one of the other colours that's fine. What sort of medical work do you do? If I can ask.

[justwords]

Of course, you can ask! You're givin' away free stuff after all. I'm in general medicine. There's a lot of people here that need help, don't you think? Any color is fine with me... it's so generous. What is it that you do, Ellie?

[captainspain]

Grey....

[Jack feels like that color belongs to him somehow.]

I wouldn't mind taking a scarf and maybe some jelly babies if there are any left...I got hooked on them when I was doing a concert tour a few years back overseas.

[seawalled]

You're the second one to want a scarf and some jelly babies. [it's interesting to her, somehow, and she grins, glad she brought a bunch of those.] They're both yours - so much better than the gummies they make here.

You're the second musician I've met here, you know. D'you know Lisa? What sort of music do you do?

[captainspain]

I've seen Lisa at the Support Group yeah, but I didn't know she was a musician too.

I sing so I'm more a performer than anything else.

[seawalled]

Oh, that's lovely! Yeah, she said she played a concert not long before I got here, I'm sorry I missed it.

[he's lovely too, really, and she doesn't mind it one bit]

What d'you sing?

[captainspain]

Broadway mostly.

I'm actually on stage right now. Not a big set of roles mind....but meaty enough.

[seawalled]

Oh, wow, that's impressive. Some've those songs go right through the roof, don't they? I can't confess to knowing a lot of it, but I've heard my fair share from stuff being on telly and such. [she colors just a bit] And Spamalot.

What're you in? I want to come and see, I've never been to a show someone I know was in before.