[ with weyland in nyc ]

[tragic_mask]

They step through the door, and find themselves on the cracked sidewalk outside of a lively bar. A sign glows: "Blue Owl."

It's nighttime, but the city still glows with all kinds of light, and shakes with the noise of honking, shouting, music, the clinking of glasses, all blending together into the cacophony and symphony of the city.

Melpomene looks around. "Well, we're back... Right where I started."

Comments

[mechanicalswans]

"You'd look beautiful in feathers and diamonds," he says, "but then I can't imagine anything you wouldn't look beautiful in. Maybe a pencil costume, but how often would that come up?"

[tragic_mask]

"Only in the imagination, I'm sure," she says, wrinkling a brow. "If we're going to dress me up as a writing utensil, I prefer the quill. Not that I'm supposed to be making requests."

[mechanicalswans]

"Feathers and diamonds," he says with a smile. "Though you'd need very pointy shoes, to be a quill, yes? If we are ever invited to a 'come as what you work with' costume party, you're all set, whereas I would have a string of highly unfortunate choices."

[tragic_mask]

"It couldn't be that bad. You could come as..." Pause. "A very large sheet of metal." She winks. "Clever, eh? Bet no one else would think of that."

[mechanicalswans]

"I'd have to go on a diet first, though," he says. "I think I'm too three-dimensional to be a convincing sheet of metal. But I would be very shiny, and people could stick magnets to me."

[tragic_mask]

"Yes, you'd be a hit. People at parties are always secretly wishing they had a place to put their magnets."

She swings her legs, idly.

[mechanicalswans]

"It depends on the parties," he says. "What I remember of mine, I'm usually wishing for either pockets or more drinks. Magnets could help with both of those, in a roundabout way."

[tragic_mask]

She raises a brow. "If you say so."

[mechanicalswans]

"Instead of pockets, you could just stick things to your metal costume, you see. Drinks would be a little harder, but if you had waitresses with roller skates and magnets... or had part of your costume a functioning still, I suppose, though that would get hot."

[tragic_mask]

"Certainly. You could ask the ladies if they wanted a drink, and just pour it right out of your side."

[mechanicalswans]

"Why bother with hiding a flask, when you can be dressed as one?"

He enjoys keeping his head on her shoulder. It feels very... natural, comfortable, normal, and that appeals to him.

"They probably don't have costume parties this time of year in Niagara Falls, do they? We should go to a completely ordinary one, sometime. Have our shoes thrown up on by drunk people we don't know, spend the evening shouting at each other to be heard over music we don't like, being disappointed with the drinks and snacks but having fun anyway."

[tragic_mask]

"I don't know," she says. "But I expect if there were one, you'd find it."

[mechanicalswans]

"There's probably university parties, but I don't know that I can pass for young enough to get in," he says. "You could, but I might not."

[tragic_mask]

"Doubtful," she laughs. "Maybe we should just stick with the snow globes and postcards."

[mechanicalswans]

"As a start, at least," he says with a smile. "I think I shall aspire to bore people at other tables in restaurants, with talking about my hobbies."

[tragic_mask]

"And I'm sure you'll be fabulous," she says, only a bit facetiously.

[mechanicalswans]

"I don't care what your Uncle Phil says," he murmurs, reaching up to tousle her hair, "I am so close to having the complete set of bottle caps from the major beer manufacturers from 1953, and when the set is complete, they will be worth entire tens of dollars to the right buyer. But I won't sell them. They're an investment for the future."

[tragic_mask]

"Yes, dear," she says, deadpanning.

[mechanicalswans]

"On the other hand," he says, "it's not much of a stretch, is it. That's what I already am, my interests and I, among gods--the kid in the corner with the comic books. For all time."

[tragic_mask]

"Nice analogy."

[mechanicalswans]

"Haven't you ever felt... a bit out of place, I guess? It may be different for you; your family is as it was meant to be, as are you, where I am not."

[tragic_mask]

"Well, I've almost always felt out of place in my family... and in the world, of course. But maybe in a different way than you do. How are you not the way you were meant to be? And what were you meant to be?"

[mechanicalswans]

"I should have been like my brothers," he says. "Egil the finest archer in the world at the time, and Finn the greatest healer, as I was the most gifted metalsmith--brilliant, but finite. That's what we were meant to be: heroes, legends, hard to kill, but ultimately mortal. And yet..." He shrugs slightly. "Here I am, still."

[tragic_mask]

"It can't be all bad," she says, but she wishes she'd ever had the option of brevity.

[mechanicalswans]

"The circumstances involved make the situation less than ideal, less than happy, but there have been pleasant moments, yes," he says. "This evening has been one, and I hope you know that isn't just a line."