From The New World

[collector]

[Ahh, that old, familiar sight. A hard-working individual at a desk, diligently filing through paperwork.]

[Or, perhaps not.]

[Indeed, at this particular mahogany writing desk, the 'hard-worker' in question is toying with what appears to be a model planet, suspended in mid air above the surface. His fingertip is sliding a small block over the surface of the globe like a puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit in. It is, of course, all a hologram. Occasionally he mutters something vague under his breath, like:]

No, let's not build anything over Avril's caves. Heaven knows what she'll do to any poor undergraduate girls she can get her hands on.

[or perhaps:]

Could work. I'm not legally culpable if a griffin eats someone, anyway...

[Bach's Suite No 2 in B minor accompanies his musings, as does a cup of tea and a plate full of crumpets and Garibaldi biscuits. How tough it is to be Irving Braxiatel.]

Comments

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she takes one of the biscuits and eats it, and then leans on the desk to get a closer look]

Mind if I ask what it is you're getting up to today that might end in body snatching or devoured undergraduates and professors?

[collector]

[Braxiatel very quietly reconfigures the dimension of map to actually represent the Collection, instead of the false map he had overlain as a matter of paranoia]

I'm going to open up a university. One gets so bored of only having fully-qualified academics as colleagues. I want to be able to laugh at charmingly ignorant undergraduates when I'm in a bad mood.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

A university? That... [quietly and almost reluctantly] That might actually be nice.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize you enjoyed Bach, Braxiatel-sama!

[he walks to the side of Brax, tilting his head as he studies the globe]

But...what are you doing?

[collector]

I adore Bach, Mr Suou. And Handel, and Scarlatti, and all the rest. I have a weakness for the Baroque. But I am trying to pick out where to place the buildings for my - that is, the Collection's - new university. So I decided to play with the simularity technology as I worked.

1/2

[horriblyevil.livejournal.com]

[When Billy first spots Braxiatel hunched over a desk, his first impulse is to whirl around and quickly stride in the opposite direction. However, today, he stops himself.

Today, Billy is carrying with him his latest project: a tiny tracking/recording device, no bigger than a small spider. He is hoping to use it to calculate all Plane inhabitants' dimensional and mathematical coordinates back to their home universes. Learning some insider intelligence that he could later use against these folks is also a plus.

He had gone out to the plane today with the intention of testing it out. Well, who better to test it on than someone like Braxiatel? The more he can learn about Irving Braxiatel, the higher the chances of surprising the smugness right out of him. Billy can always dream, right? He hides a smirk, carefully palms the small device, and prepares his approach.]

2/2 Billy will be dismayed when his devices lose their signals outside of the Plane XD

[horriblyevil.livejournal.com]

[Step One: He loosens his right shoelace with his left foot. Subtly. Or at least as subtly as he can manage to maneuver it, with the awkward kinds of movements it requires.

Step Two: He plans his approach trajectory. He will move right up behind Irving Braxiatel and time his trip and fall at just the right moment.

Step Three: Execute.

Billy walks. Billy trips. Billy falls.

Billy's hand, outfitted with the small device, comes down on Irving Braxiatel's back. Hey, Irving, you can't expect Billy to fall flat on his face when instinct is urging him to regain his balance and break his fall, right?]

Ghakkk--!

[Except after that device leaves his hand, Billy really does gracelessly fall to a heap on the ground... pretty much right into Brax's desk.

THUNK.

Ouch.]

[lostandfinder]

[What a fancy man! Have a teenager off lurking nearby and just staring up at the projection.]

[collector]

[Without looking at him or otherwise acknowledging that he notices him,]

Would you like to take a closer look? I could do with a second set of eyes.

[bonnypiperlad]

[As Jamie wanders by, his attention is caught at first by the hologram, and he stops to peer at it. However, it makes very little sense to him. After a moment, he shakes his head, and is about to wander off again when he notices the plate. Or, more specifically, what's on the plate.]

Biscuits! Where did ye find those?

[collector]

[Braxiatel looks over to Jamie, smiles, and offers the plate to him.] One's kitchen is the usual place. Help yourself.

[lamb_of_gold]

[This fellow was walking by, but the floating globe caught his eye and he walks over, not close enough to hear the mutterings, but close enough to see better detail on the globe.

Also he's wearing shinies~]

Now there's a curious thing.

[collector]

[Braxiatel really digs those clothes.] Would you care to take a look?

[oikoumene.livejournal.com]

{I haven't played Rider in a while, so have him}

A griffin, you say? Ha, how wonderful! How did you come across such a marvelous creature?

[collector]

[Brax doesn't even seem bothered at such a direct inquiry from the last person he'd want to tell this to.]

Quite simply, I wanted one. People are always eager to get me what I want, haven't a clue why. This particular being was synthesized for me - genetically engineered. I haven't told anyone, as it encourages my more fantastically-inclined colleagues to... indulge in a little dreaming, I suppose. That never hurts. And then there are the inevitable rumours. Griffins are known for protecting treasures, so I like to think a few would-be thieves have changed their minds after learning about my new acquisition. If I don't tell anyone that it's artificial, people believe more in that myth. It has more power. And it has such lovely feathers that I could pet it all day.

[madamemoiselle.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this suite. It's Bach's...second, right? I was never great at remembering which numbers go with them, but this one is one of the best, in my opinion.

[collector]

BWV 1067, you mean? This is certainly one of my favourites. Particularly the Badinerie. It is... [he smiles faintly] Someone very close to me plays it very well.

[bytwo.livejournal.com]

[Oh, hello. Don't mind her, this is just a barefoot ballerina drawn by the music. Or maybe the model planet. It's difficult to tell. But at some point she wandered up with that characteristic River quietness, and she's peering at the planet with interested River faces. If he'll let her she'll even extend her fingers to ghost over it.]

[collector]

[Braxiatel lets go and leans back to let her play with it. It will ripple if she presses in too far, and if she works with it as Brax did, it will move at her fingertips, intangible but pliant.]

[bodilesswarrior.livejournal.com]

[Barbara approaches with a fascinated grin]

What sort of hologram is that?

[collector]

A very advanced one. And, if I am to be completely honest, one anachronistic to the time period I'm living in. [He moves aside his chair to give her room, pushing the hologram over to her with a gentle hand. He does so love his technological toys.] It responds to electric impulses released by living beings, the way sharks do. Interaction without true physical contact.

[miseardae.livejournal.com]

[the Doctor, of course, will stride right up and steal a crumpet]

You could always warn people of potential safety hazards.

[collector]

[Braxiatel does not approve of this crumpet stealing, but he refuses to respond to it.]

As you may recall, Thete, students don't tend to listen to warnings.

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[Damon eyes the crumpets curiously, but is soon distracted by the hologram] What are you building, Cardinal Braxiatel? Do you need any assistance?

[collector]

A university, Damon, and only in deciding where to put it. Students are... loud. And they trample things. And, regrettably, there is an awful lot on the Collection that is very trampleable.