text;

[phdmotherfucker]

Is it common to have the most terrible migraine after the event? And if so, does it happen every time? The IBA should seriously consider handing out Excedrin with their business cards. Maybe a pamphlet of common side effects. Something more tangibly useful than their mission statement.

(( This is essentially the same network prompt as used on the TDM. Happy to transfer threads over or start fresh. ))

Comments

[neverjedi]

I'm sorry. Hopefully it will even out soon for you.

[phdmotherfucker]

Thank you. May I ask, how long have you been dealing with all this?

[phdmotherfucker]

So basically: we don't know why this is happening, there seems to be no pattern of when or why it happens, and there is no way to stop it.

Cool.

Love that for us.

[traceofeffort]

No, I just play

[She hits the send button by accident instead of backspace, hissing under her breath before sighing and starting again.]

Speaking of mental health. Bleh. Anyway, yes, what I do counts, I think! I mostly play small venues - the bars around the city, little clubs, whatever will take me. I have played at least one bigger show, though, and that was the time of my life even if I didn't fill the seats.

[phdmotherfucker]

[ Harleen brought the referrals over to drop off at 4:25 and chatted with the receptionist for a couple minutes. When Martin came to the front, she smiled politely and offered a handshake. ]

Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[phdmotherfucker]

When do you play next? I'd love to go.

[neverjedi]

Just about a year now.

[not_as_i_do]

Yours as well, Dr. Quinzel. Thank you for bringing all of that by for us, I appreciate it. Allow me to treat you to some gratitude coffee? I'm just on my way out.

[yes, they'd already agreed to it over the network, but you had to be careful and spontaneous about these things. Krissi was kind of a gossip, after all, even if she did her job well, and the last thing the Bureau needed was someone like her getting wind of goings-on]

[consortofalderaan]

Yes, that does seem to be the shape of our reality, now.

Your specific memory does explain the headache you're experiencing, though. That is one mystery solved.

[phdmotherfucker]

"Just about a year" seems pretty common. I feel late to the party.

[phdmotherfucker]

[ Her handshake was firm and professional. She tipped her head and pretended to consider the invitation. ]

I'll walk out with you. There are some case specifics that I'd love to pick your brain about.

[traceofeffort]

We'll see if you still say that on the other side - most of my sets are your everyday country, light pop and rock, nice and inoffensive. But, uh. Lemme look...

[She responds after a moment with a date and an address, and a Facebook link.]

I don't really have a regular schedule - it really is just whenever I can find a spot. Thankfully, given where we are, there's plenty of those.

[phdmotherfucker]

Hopefully they don't always come in so ... vividly.

[phdmotherfucker]

[ She adds it to her calendar. ]

I don't know much about music, but I'm looking forward to it.

[consortofalderaan]

I'm afraid I have more disappointing news.

[phdmotherfucker]

Well.

Fuck.

[traceofeffort]

I'm glad to hear it! Even if you don't end up being a fan, it makes me really happy to have more people at my shows. It makes me feel like none of this was a waste.

You know, I was going to thank you for wanting to come, and I realized I never asked your name. I am so bad at this some days, oops. And I'm Lisa.

[phdmotherfucker]

I'm Harleen. Nice to meet you.

[consortofalderaan]

I am sorry. Though I understand that doesn't help ease anyone with this.

[not_as_i_do]

Pick gently, it's been a long day.

[he whisked his coat onto his shoulders and picked up his bag, waving to Krissi as he addressed her over his shoulder]

See you tomorrow!

[once they were outside, he rolled his eyes a little.]

Sorry if that was a little awkward. Keeping up appearances with all of this is ... a learning curve, to say the least.

[neverjedi]

The drinks and music have improved?

[phdmotherfucker]

[ There would probably be assumptions anyway. There usually were. ]

I don't understand why there's so much secrecy, but I do know talking about it ended my relationship. So I guess that was a lesson learned. Toe the line, or else.

[not_as_i_do]

[he'd quash them the next morning, just to be certain. she was young and had a career ahead of her, and he didn't want to potentially jeopardize that.]

That was ... pretty terrible of them. He must not have been very supportive if he couldn't handle it. Maybe we should get something stronger than coffee. Lady's choice.

[phdmotherfucker]

Coffee will be just fine, thanks.

[ It wasn't even five o'clock yet, and she was too aware of that she'd been drinking more than usual since this all began. She slipped her hands into her coat pockets and lead them to a coffee shop the next block over. She paid for her own drink. ]

So. Where do we start?

[not_as_i_do]

[Martin frowned a bit - he'd offered to pay for her coffee, after all. But he just resolved to make sure to cover her if there was a next time, and found them a quiet booth in a corner where they wouldn't be overheard]

Well, let's see. I think breaking the multiple universes thing down is probably the biggest thing we need to do. And the hardest. How much did they tell you when they found you? Sometimes Mr. Martin and his team are a little ... brusque.