T Par Tay (Open Log!)
Who: Aphrodite (cyprian_swan), Polly (curious_copycat), and everyone and anyone else!
What: It's been a year since Polly set foot on the Thor, and she wants to celebrate! Mix, mingle and have fun!
When: Oct 5th! (but late tags are welcome)
Where: One of the Thor's gardens.
Warnings: Beware of flying armadillos, and don't step on the mome raths.
( Tea for two... hundred. )
What: It's been a year since Polly set foot on the Thor, and she wants to celebrate! Mix, mingle and have fun!
When: Oct 5th! (but late tags are welcome)
Where: One of the Thor's gardens.
Warnings: Beware of flying armadillos, and don't step on the mome raths.
( Tea for two... hundred. )
But since it was for Polly, things were a bit different today.
Kiriko had heard she'd been aboard for a year now, and not only wanted to wish her well, but apologise for his attitude the last time they spoke. She'd seen an ugly side of him he didn't mean to show, and he realized soon after she must think very little of him, now.
So he decided to show up.
...But after seeing Polly looking so lovely in her new dress, he had quickly chickened out and was now located a good distance away from the entrance to allow himself a bit of time to get composed. And to make sure there was a sizeable crowd in there so he could casually enter, speak to Polly, give her her gift, and promptly leave without being noticed.
And now he couldn't bring himself to move at all. Feeling a headache coming on, Kiriko already knew this was going to be a very, very long day.]
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[He'd been upset, the last time they spoke, and she's hoping that the tea will act as a sort of peace offering. As she approaches him, the fact that he's here at all adds a slight, inexplicable spring to her step.]
[Sensing some of his trepidation, she speaks softly.]
Hi, Dr.
Would you like some tea?
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[By the time he'd realized she had noticed him and was coming closer, it was already too late to run away. Clutching onto his suitcase he had brought with him for dear life (where Polly's gift was kept, but not as if she'd know; he always had one with him, anyway), he cleared his throat and adjusted his tie before she got any nearer.
Taking the tea with his free hand, he tries to smile genuinely without letting his nervousness show.]
Thank you. I came to wish you a happy anniversary. One year, congratulations.
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Thank you! It's hard to believe, really--I feel like I just stepped out of New Arrivals yesterday, almost!
[Yet, at the same time, it seems almost as if it's been longer. So much has happened to her in this one year alone that she wonders if the girl she'd been would recognize herself. It was strange how Time could do that...]
Would you like to come and sit down? I've made all kinds of food for the party! Or, there's croquet, if you'd like to play.
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You've come a long way. Well, let's hope for many more safe years ahead.
[In 'come a long way,' he meant more that Thor was a dangerous place, and she had made it far. It was something he hoped he'd be able to do.
Looking at the other guests congregating around the tables, Kiriko wondered if he should just quickly give her her present now so he could take sooner leave - but then thought it would be rude to interrupt Polly's enthusiasm. Instead, he followed her closer to the party area and looked for a place he could set down his suitcase, taking a sip of the tea. It was delicious...]
I-I suppose I could stay for a bit to eat.
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[She nods as she leads him to one of the tables.]
I do hope so. Lots of people don't like it here, but...
[She glances over at him.]
I think there are still good things about it. I love living here.
[Despite the dangers, it's an infinitely better home to her than Calabi-Yau had ever been.]
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...I agree with you, Polly. We're all very lucky to be here; it's definitely not a bad place. And of course, we're still well and alive. That in itself is enough cause to celebrate, isn't it?
[In fact, he'd never really been this happy before. No more guilt, no more living on the run, not having to starve anymore... it was peaceful.
Yes, Yuri and Michelle were both dead; but he'd already taken a step to move on. And he found, somehow, that he was doing alright.
He wondered how much of that was thanks to Polly.]
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Yes, I think so! And with so many interesting people on the ship, it's hard to be lonely or bored. And most of them are nice, when you get to know them!
[And on a ship full of interesting people, Polly has been finding the Dr. increasingly engaging. There is a strange sort of connection between the two of them that she doesn't yet understand, and she's quite happy to share his company while she tries to puzzle out what it is.]
[Just then, a sharp, orange muzzle pokes out from under the table, this followed by a pair of golden eyes. Having noticed that Polly and this new person were approaching the food, Alice, spoiled pet that she'd become, has apparently slipped over to see if there might be a handout or two in the offing.]
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[Before the Doctor could find himself getting too comfortable with the party (of course), he is startled by the sight of a familiar pest lurking nearby. Not believing his eyes, he leans over to take a closer look, eventually jumping back up in surprise.]
Ah! Over there! There's a fox!
[Growing up in the well-forested mountains, he was always warned of the many local red foxes that carried rabies and worms and toxocariasis. Needless to say, he isn't comfortable at all that there's a fox near the food...]
What is a fox doing in the garden?! [Sharply,] Hey! Shoo! Get!
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[The girl, who'd also been somewhat surprised, gathers herself enough to put a hand on his arm, the gesture intended to be comforting but also quite firm. She's been a bit protective of Alice ever since the captains had called for fox hunters on the Thor a couple of months ago.]
Oh, no, It's alright, Dr.! This is Alice! She's my rabbit.
[She kneels down to pet the animal, her expression nothing less than doting.]
Come and meet Dr. Kiriko, Alice. It's alright!
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Rabbit? I'm sure that's a-
[Well, there was no use arguing about it. If it was her pet, it was probably safe to handle...
Having placed his teacup on the table, Kiriko kneels a bit next to Polly to offer his hand for Alice to smell. He's also braced and ready for the animal to bite him...]
Um... hello, Alice.
[And now he's talking to a fox- No, rabbit- thing. Of all the crazy ideas he's had this week...]
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She looks like a fox, now, because Mr. Break had a cold. It's hard to keep control of your magic when you sneeze, you see. But she started out as a rabbit.
[The little non-fox sniffs at Kiriko's hand curiously, then makes another of those trilling sounds and bumps her head against it, inquiring after pets. Under Polly's care she'd become quiet accustomed to making new friends, and she can sense that the girl's particularly fond of this one.]
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[He was confident he hadn't heard of that man before, unless he had forgotten. But he's sure he'd never met him, not in entire time he had been here... was he even still aboard this ship?
Pausing to first think, Kiriko finally strokes Alice on her head awkwardly, not really sure if he was doing it right. He remembered that his sister loved animals, but it's been decades since he had a pet...]
H-Hey there, girl.
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Mr. Break owned her first. He was... my friend.
[Her voice is very soft, at that. Technically, that was all they'd been, despite her feelings. He'd disappeared before she could gather up the nerve to try to find out if he'd felt the same.]
He's gone, now.
[There was a time when that statement alone would've been enough to make her want to withdraw to her suite. Strange how it didn't hurt so much to say, anymore.]
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Carefully, he places his hand on hers, just for a second, to show sympathy. Then he returns to scratching Alice behind the ears as if it never happened.]
I'm sorry for your loss.
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Well... The captains have said that when people disappear from here, they go back to their worlds, at a point in time when it hasn't been destroyed. If that's true, then he's happier.
He... never really liked it here, much.
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