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[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[Handy arrives on the Plane in a much better state of mind than he was last time he appeared. He is a little annoyed with the Proper Doctor for inviting him to travel without first properly considering the fact that their realities are not merged. Still, he is in a fairly decent mood.

He remembers finding the Doctor on the Plane with a chair and some books and has decided to follow His example. Upon arrival, Handy is lounging on a sofa, nose buried in a book, “1812: The Catalyst to Canadian Independence.”  He may have ‘borrowed’ the sofa and some books from a bookshop for use on the Plane. Either way, he is proud of himself for managing to get it all here.

On the end of the sofa at his feet are various other books, which he promptly kicks to the floor so he can stretch out his legs. The books are mostly biographies and historical texts. He is still a bit foggy on the history of the parallel Earth he’s on now, so he’s decided to utilize the Plane and take this opportunity for some much needed reading.

Despite the fact that he has no idea how the book will end, it is still incredibly boring. He’s being stubborn and refuses to move on to another book until he finishes the one he is reading. He is fighting the urge to fall asleep. If he continues reading, it will most likely be a losing battle.]

Comments

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

No, that's true, I'll cede that, fair and square. But all work and no play makes Henry a dull boy, y'know, and we can't have that.

[She reaches over and takes the book from his hands, scanning the title]

Besides, I don't think these are wholly accurate. Canadian Independence? Gotta be jokin'.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Me, dull? Can't let that happen.

[sits up and looks at the book with her.]

Parallel Earth, different histories. America loses the War of 1812, goes back to British rule. Something happens where Canada gets the idea they want a go at independence, Britain is busy with Napoleon, and you get Canadian independence. Or something along those lines. Still fuzzy on the details.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

You mean that actually happened somewhere? [she peers at the book] Who'd've thunk. Canada, full of national pride, and America, cut down by British Imperialism. Enough to make a Kansas girl cry.

[tossing a look at him] Do you think that maybe, out there somewhere, there's a world for every book ever written, where what happens in the book is real? Like for Peter Pan, or Alice in Wonderland?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Dorothy. He just smiles.] It's not beyond possibility. And even if there isn't one for every book, I already know my fair share of Peter's and Alice's, storybook world or not.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

[She flips idly through the book, scanning the pages. It's clear she's not really reading, though.]

I'd like to see those places someday. Though I don't suppose that'll ever happen. 'Course, I'm already ahead just given Oz! Most people back home've never even heard of it, so I'm lucky.

...Although come to think, everybody here seems to know all about it already. And that's strange.

[...And if SHE thinks something is STRANGE, that's saying something.]

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[shrugs]

Oh, well you know, different people, different realities. Can't really say what their history is. Just look at me.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but at least you're making an effort! How's it coming? Have you made any earth-shattering discoveries about your brand-new universe, or is it all just as cut-and-dry boring as your old one was?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

So far one Earth is just as exciting as another. [nods towards the book she's holding] And sometimes less so. Still, at least it gives me something to find out.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

[smiling] Canadian history, in any universe, is probably the epitome of boring. Although, I think the most important thing in any study session is to take plenty of breaks. Why don't you give it a few minutes, just to keep your brains from melting and dribblin' out your ears? I could get you a root beer float or something.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Root beer float. [sighs and smiles] Twist my arm. All right.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

You got it.

[She stands, picking up and replacing his legs carefully back onto the couch, and then she steps, and is gone.]

Reappearing a few moments later, she holds the tall, frosty glass of root beer a'la mode over his head, and she looks fairly pleased with herself.]

Tadaa! I also brought pie. [She produces a plate from behind her back which does in fact contain pecan pie.] Only leftovers, but it couldn't hurt.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

You brought pie. [he sits up, and those root beer floats and pies look amazing] Who complains about leftovers? Pie is pie, and that looks fantastic.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Good! Pie's brain food, y'know. In that I guess it helps to have a brain to eat it.

[she rearranges a stack of books to be a sort of makeshift coffee table, and puts the plate and glass down on it] You know me, I'm not happy unless everybody else is. And I have found, in my many years of research and firsthand experience, that snack breaks during studying make everybody happy. Even flagpoles with hair.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[sits cross legged on the sofa, talking, eating, talking, eating, drinking, eating...something along those lines]

You're too right. This is brilliant. [looks at her] Flagpoles with hair?

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Mmhmm. [she folds her arms] That's my super-ultra-polite way of gently hinting that you're too skinny and you need to eat more. And since you don't have a fat Italian grandma for a neighbor anywhere already telling you this, apparently the job falls to me.

[she plops down next to him, sighing deeply and leaning her head against the back of the sofa] You're too skinny. You should eat more.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[he pretends to be offended.] I do eat! Look at me, I'm eating right now. [eats] See, this is me, eating. I can't help it if I'm naturally skinny. It's just the way I'm built.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Do you think your imaginary hypothetical fat Italian grandma neighbor would take that for an answer? I don't think so!

Make a girl get a complex, eating like a normal person and not gaining a pound. Oughta be ashamed of your metabolism.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

I can't help my metabolism. It's my metabolism. It just is.

And my hypothetical fat Italian grandma neighbor might be a little more understanding about my metabolic limitations.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

She's a fat hypothetical Italian grandma, I think she'd be a little hypothetically jealous. Speaking hypothetically, of course.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Well maybe I'd be hypothetically jealous that she isn't stuck being called a flagpole with hair. Maybe you should hypothetically think of that.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should hypothetically take it as a compliment! Lots of hypothetical people wish they were that skinny.

Though hypothetical Italian grannies defer. Naturally.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Well lots of hypothetical people shouldn't worry about being hypothetically skinny because they seem hypothetically just the right size.

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Well, hypothetically, people ought to be satisfied with that. But you know how people are. Never happy with what they've got-- always wanting more.

Wouldn't be human otherwise, I s'pect.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

I guess not.

[looks down at his empty plate.]

Speaking of wanting more, you wouldn't happen to have another piece around here, would you?

[galeforcehero.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! Think I've got cherry and pumpkin left.