004 - Bringing the First Taste of the Spring

[n0secondchances]

[Ten's gone walking through the castle today, curious to explore the building that's causing them all so much fuss. He doesn't make it very far, though, before he spots a single acorn sitting right in the middle of the lobby.

Funny... it wasn't quite the right season for acorns, was it?

Picking it up, he'll turn it over in his palm, when he notices

Comments

[hard_talker]

[one of the resident bookworms is doing some residential bookworming on his way to the kitchen for a soda and a snack. he's usually very good at steering via peripheral vision, but ... well ... he's at the part where the Journeyman finally breaks into the top secret facility to rescue his brother, and it's getting really really good and OH SHIT they just shot one of the main characters and ---

--- and he just tripped over Ten's expansive legs.

Shit!

[both the book and the bookworm go flying, and Mark ends up sprawled across the lobby floor, just barely managing to catch himself from landing on his face]

[n0secondchances]

Oi!

[there's a startled shout where all of the dust sprites cower deeper in the shadows and one, lanky Doctor sits up in surprise]

[hard_talker]

Sorry, I didn't -- OH! Doc Binary. [he blushes] Great. Just great. I didn't even see -- are you okay?

[n0secondchances]

Mark! [very cheerfully answered, though his eyes are still serious. You've been through the ringer these past few days, boy, and he knows it] Oh, I'm quite alright.

You all together, over there?

[hard_talker]

Yup. [he climbs to his feet, scooping up his precious book] Think I broke the spine on my book, though ... [POUUUUT.]

[n0secondchances]

[wincing] Right. Sorry about that. I might have another copy in the library if you need it. Which is it that you're reading?

[hard_talker]

It's okay, I should've been lookin' where I was goin'. [he shrugs a little, then] The Journeyman, by Jack Nine-Eagles. It's really cool... I'm almost done with it. Hopefully the library's got the second one.

[n0secondchances]

Ah, yes! A fascinating look at technology. A fascinating author, too. Bit tricky to talk to, but great at chess.

It's a rather impressive library. I think I'd be rather surprised if they didn't have it.

[hard_talker]

Yeah, really. I can't help but think the castle might've taken a few pointers from it on the whole "monitor the masses" thing, somehow.

I'll have to go and take a look. [a pause while he fully processes what he just heard, then facepalms, chuckling] Of course you've met 'im. ... How'd you end up playin' chess, of all things?

[n0secondchances]

Ah well, this and that. You start off with trying to prove you're not a government spy, and end up with chess. You'd be surprised at how often it's an issue, really.

[hard_talker]

Like that one movie where the guy plays against the devil, right? [see, he knows his classics]