[ 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]

"Do you have to try to see thoughts, or do you just... see them, as part of the appearance of the person?" he asks. "Do you see mine, for instance?"

[tragic_mask]

"I make an effort not to, when I don't have a reason to," she murmurs, looking down and not really answering.

"In any case, it's not individual thoughts I see, really... More the grand, sweeping stories of emotion. I could never be a psychic, naming your card or number, unless there was some memory attached to it."

[mechanicalswans]

"In that case, I'm afraid I would make a very dull subject," he says. "My patterns are strong but predictable, and my memories aren't exactly secret. Do you use that to find the people you inspire, or to find stories to give to other people?"

[tragic_mask]

"Both. Either." She shrugs. "That depends on the person."

[mechanicalswans]

"How do you go about your work?" he asks. "If there are trade secrets, that's fine, I don't need to know that, but I am curious what your average day is like, when you are working on someone."

[tragic_mask]

"Not a secret," she says. "Just... hard to explain. Is it conceited to believe that you'd have to experience it to understand?"

[mechanicalswans]

"The mark of a master," he says. "You would have an understanding of the nuances and possibilities that someone who is not in that line of work would not understand, and it would be very hard to explain. I could try to explain to you the subtle difference in color between metal that is ready to be worked and that which is too hot or too cold, but I doubt it would mean much to you--like that?"

[tragic_mask]

"Quite," she says, and leans back.

[mechanicalswans]

He settles back against the couch, watching her.

"So here we are," he says quietly, putting his cigarette out between two of his fingers and folding it neatly back into whatever strange portal he'd pulled it from in the first place. "You really don't get tired, do you?"

[tragic_mask]

"I get drowsy, sometimes, from too much drink or a boring conversationalist. But that's different from tired." She looks at him carefully. "Are you hinting something? Do you want to be given the apartment tour, terminating in a soft bed?"

[mechanicalswans]

"I wouldn't want to impose, or to be a bad guest," he says, "but it has been a long day, and I doubt I'll be sparkling conversation for much longer. I can sleep wherever would be convenient for you--wherever I would be in your way the least, in case you need to do things around the apartment in the meantime."

[tragic_mask]

"Come to the bedroom," she says, standing with an effort. "Unless you count staring out the window 'doing things,' I don't do much. Which is why sleep, if not necessary, is a good way to pass the time."

[mechanicalswans]

He stands as well, stretching lazily. "It depends on whether there's anything interesting going on outside the window or not, I would think. The city has potential."

[tragic_mask]

"I love this city, but you'd be surprised how people might change their opinions of the vivacity and excitement of it if they had permanent insomnia."

[mechanicalswans]

"I hope I never have that problem," he says with a small smile. "There is far less to do in St. Paul, and I would go mad from boredom... or wind up buying things off late night television, and nobody needs that."

[tragic_mask]

She laughs. "I've tried that. I once got my hand stuck in a blender I bought off late-night TV. Wasn't too pleasant. I didn't sue, though. Wouldn't have been a very compelling case."

She holds up her undamaged hand, and smiles wryly.

[mechanicalswans]

He takes her hand, to get a closer look at it.

"I find myself drawn to the gardening products, and for a while I start to think that maybe if I bought the tiller or mower or whatever it is they are advertising, I would do more gardening. But then I have to remind myself that the reason I don't do any gardening is that I live on a second-floor apartment and have no yard."

[tragic_mask]

"That's generally a valid reason not to garden, I've found. Or own pets any larger than a goldfish."

If he looks closely enough... well, he still won't find anything, because Melpomene's skin is remarkably smooth for such an old person. She has no interesting scars to show for the story.

She turns her hand so that it's grasping his, and begins to pull him towards the bedroom door.

[mechanicalswans]

"I have mechanical pets," he says, "fish and birds. They are much easier to clean up after, and if I am called away unexpectedly I don't have to worry about feeding them."

He lets her pull him along.

"You have very nice hands, you know."

[tragic_mask]

"I try," she says, faking modesty, and ponders as she pushes on the door, which is already ajar.

"An actual gold fish would be an interesting pet."

[mechanicalswans]

"I like working with bronze--you can get such a range of color. Either lifelike, or... more fanciful, more colorful than the real thing."

He glances into the room.

[tragic_mask]

"Well, I won't question that you know what you're talking about."

Other than-- well, more books stacked around the edges-- the room is fairly muted, with a small bed and nightstand. There's a window, too, which has a view down the street.

[mechanicalswans]

"You have a nice room," he says, reaching to unfasten his tie. "Does reading help with the insomnia?"

[tragic_mask]

"It passes the time," she says. "And there's always more books. Mostly bad, yes, but sometimes there's a gem amidst the glass."

[mechanicalswans]

"I don't read very much anymore," he says. "Not for any particular reason, I just... rarely get round to it, I guess. But I do like history books and poetry."