[016]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies is currently sitting at a table in the library, looking rather disgruntled. to her right sits a cup of coffee--half-empty. to her left sits her ever-present notepad, opened to a page of scribbled commentary. and directly in front of her is a tiny, handheld metal device with one button on it. she closes her eyes, sitting quietly for a moment, and then reaches out to press the button with her eyes still closed] The bar.

[nothing happens. she opens her eyes again and scowls at it] Damnit! I knew it was too good to be true. [she sighs, running a hand through her hair in frustration, and mutters to herself:] At least I got to see the workings of the shop, for all the good this thing is doing me... [she glowers at it]

[but then she purses her lips. as she thinks this over, she stares out among the stacks of books, talking the situation through softly out loud] Well...probably better no results than getting cursed with some strange or morbid compulsion. [she snorts, thinking of the possibilities described by Ray. she was ready for this to blow up in her face, which obviously would have been a problem, but somehow no results at all is a bit of a letdown] Maybe it is cursed--cursed to never work. I wouldn't put it past this place.

[she picks up the cup of coffee, taking a sip before she turns to her notepad. then she settles in to reread what she's written and jot down any new ideas, a decidedly disgruntled expression on her face. this is a position in which she will remain for a while--unless she's interrupted, of course]

[ooc: Menzies bought a teleporter from the shop! And paid off her debt by helping Kross out with shop inventory. Unfortunately for her, while she's found out from Ray that there is something odd about the device, she has no idea that it will only work if you don't have keys on your person. Feel free to bother her as she tries to work this out!]

Comments

[desertdaggers]

[ah! He still has the vest, of course- a little the worse for wear, but hopefully not badly enough that it'll be suspicious. Still, he can't help wondering what it is she's talking about, and he wanders over to peer at the device.]

What is it supposed to do?

[grip_on_reality]

It's a teleporter. [she scowls at it] Theoretically.

[looking up at Hawk, though, she notices the vest and turns her attention on him] So, how'd it go? Are you out?

[punkblaze]

[Eithan's made a habit out of coming to the library pretty often these days. He's not sure why - maybe it's the atmosphere, maybe it's the people he runs into here... maybe it's a subconscious thing from back when the weird shit was happening with the fears and the amnesia and-- yeah you know what? Ignoring that...

He hears mention of the bar and, confused and curious, starts toward the voice. He watches Menzies talk to herself and study that... thing... for a little bit before approaching with a small smile, hands in his coat pockets.]

What'd this place do now? [He nods at it.] Somethin' with that thing?

[desertdaggers]

It's not working?

Not… without a few difficulties, but effectively, yes! Thank you for lending me the vest. [he slides it off and holds it out to her.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she glances up at the voice. it takes her a second to place the young man, but she quickly works it out and decides to just jump in with an answer] More like this thing belonged to this place. [she gives the device a sour look, but then sighs, turning her attention back to Eithan] I bought this from the shop. It's meant to be a teleporter, but there's something up with it. [curious, she adds:] Did you get anything out of that sale?

[punkblaze]

You mean the one a while back? [He shakes his head.] Nah. I was kinda busy. Not much of a shopper anyway.

[He tilts his head, squinting a bit at the device.] A teleporter? Never seen one that small. That's pretty cool. What's up with it, though? Not workin'? Or you mean like, there's somethin' else up in addition to it not workin'?

[Because the sour look and the mention of the bar followed by a curse from earlier totally means "not working".]

[grip_on_reality]

[she snorts] Well, you're perceptive!

[she nods, accepting the vest] Any more injuries, or 'ave you gotten that taken care of?

[grip_on_reality]

Busy? [her expression is amused since that excuse really doesn't hold up in a place like this, but she figures that's his business]

Good question. According to Ray, there's something up with it--and it definitely doesn't work. But I'd be surprised if it's just faulty merchandise. [she eyes it, still not convinced that it's not cursed somehow] Trouble is, it didn't come with a user manual. So I've been trying to work out if you just have to do something more than press the button. No joy so far, though.

[desertdaggers]

Haha. If only I could tell exactly what was wrong with it by looking, then!

[he nods, waving a hand] I'm alright. Marta took care of most of them.

[punkblaze]

[He pays no attention to her asking after his "busy". It's kind of a long story, kind of a mental thing he's got going on, and would probably just take a lot of explaining on his end and it's really not that important.

He eyes it too, almost mirroring her own expression. Hell, he wouldn't trust it either! But he shrugs, stepping closer to look at it again.] Kinda hard to figure out what else you have to do if there's nothin' to it but a single button. Hm... does it need power or somethin'?

[He reaches like he's going to turn it over to check it out a bit closer, but he looks to her to make sure it's okay before he does.]

[grip_on_reality]

It'd probably be an easy way to make a living. [she smirks] No. I talked to Ray, and he told me there's something up with it--presumably something other than the fact that it doesn't work--but that's all I've got.

[curious] Marta? Is that somebody back 'ome?

[grip_on_reality]

No idea. But there's got to be more to it than just the button. Otherwise, where would it send you? [because she really, really hopes she didn't get an item that's completely random--if it ever works at all] I tried saying a location out loud, picturing it, both... [she shakes her head] If you've got any other bright ideas, I'd love to hear 'em.

[she gives a small nod, but her tone is cautionary] Don't push the button. No sense in both of us getting stuck with a curse if there is one. [of course, whether or not Eithan listens to her is up to him]

[desertdaggers]

Indeed! It's an ability that'd definitely be in high demand. [he grins back, and leans in to consider it again] I wonder… do you think it could be there's some requirement to make it work?

Someone I met here, actually! You'd probably recognise her easily enough- she's blonde and charming, with flowers in her hair.

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods] I was thinking along the same lines. After all, with just a button, 'ow do you even tell it a destination? [she gestures at her notepad page of scribbled ideas] I tried saying a place out loud or picturing it, but either that's not enough or there's something else to it.

[she considers that description, shaking her head] Don't think I've seen 'er before. Is she a doctor, then?

[punkblaze]

No, that makes sense. You don't want it just sendin' you Miina only knows where.

[He nods to her warning, picks it up and turns it over, looking for some sort of battery pack or any sort of source for power. Ports, holes, plugs... anything. This thing is so weird...]

Only bright idea I have is, if it were mine, to try openin' it and hope to get some clue as to how it works. And I dunno that I'd call it a "bright idea" so much as a "last-ditch effort". [He shakes his head, still squinting at it.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods in agreement] You'd 'ope it could be more accurate than that.

And, ah, you've got a degree in electronics I take it? [she watches him look it over, her slight sarcastic smirk reverting to its previous sour expression] Best idea I've got--beyond trying all sorts of thoughts and gestures while pressing the button--is letting somebody 'ere who might know about this sort of thing take a look at it. [and she knows just the person, too] But I'd rather not if I can get it going on me own.

[betrayedtwin]

[North hears her muttering to herself as he's walking past the stacks, two cups of fresh, hot coffee in his hand. He doesn't know she already has one, but it's the thought that counts, right? His mind starts chewing over what she's talking to herself about, though, but he doesn't quite understand it what's going on.

Well, conversations with Patricia are anything but boring. It's part of what he likes about her.]

Hey, there you are. [Then his eyes fall on the cup of coffee and he smiles crookedly, shrugging his shoulders.] I, uh, brought you some coffee but it looks like you've got some already. [He sets the cups down on the table, taking a seat next to her. He can't help taking a discreet glance at her open notebook before turning his attentions to the device.]

What's been going on?

[punkblaze]

[He snorts at the sarcastic jab.] Yep! Specialized in bullshit teleporters that don't work, too. Hah! Nah. I wish. [He does grin though, and he hands it back.] Actually, I wanted to go to academy for history. [shrug!]

That look comes with a price or somethin'? [Not that it's his business. He's not even expecting an answer, which is evident from the way he keeps talking after.] Hey, think there's a particular word that activates it? I mean, hell if I know what it could be, but...

[desertdaggers]

So… maybe it needs something that tells it that. Some sort of… connection to place, as it were. Though that wouldn't work very well for going to new places, would it? [he gestures to the notepad] What else have you come up with?

Something like that.

[grip_on_reality]

[she looks up at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion as he approaches with those cups of coffee] You were looking for me? [as he sets the cup down, she adds:] Cheers. This one was going cold. [which may or may not be true. she even smiles a little as she says it]

[if North manages to read the notepad, he'll see that it has scrawled notes starting with: Destination: Speech? Thought? Place name. "Go to..." Mental image? and generally a lot of ideas about what might trigger going to a specific location]

I did a bit of shopping! But... [she makes a face at the device] Turns out it's not really what it said on the label.

[grip_on_reality]

Not exactly. [more like it's liable to come with a load of smugness and quite possibly more trouble than she's already got--not to mention her pride dictates that she give it her best before she goes running to anyone anyway. but since Eithan doesn't seem to be looking for details, she doesn't give them]

[she frowns thoughtfully] Could be. Might be a way of...priming it, for you to give a destination. So what...a word like destination?

[punkblaze]

[Nod!] Yeah, somethin' like that! Maybe it'd actually do somethin' to let you know it's been... primed, or whatever the right word would be. [Beat.] Or that could be wishful thinkin'. Worth a shot, though.

[grip_on_reality]

[she furrows her brow, giving him a curious look] What sort of connection are you thinking?

Not much. [she shakes her head, making a face] Different ways of saying a destination--being more specific, maybe. Who knows, maybe it wants numerical coordinates of some sort! But if that's the case, you wouldn't be able to use it 'ere. So any other ideas you've got, I'm all ears.

[desertdaggers]

Maybe like a token… something that's belonged to that place for long enough for it to sink in.

Then you think it shouldn't need those? Hmm… Do you mind if I take a closer look?

[grip_on_reality]

Maybe. Not sure what it could do, aside from vibrate.

[she holds it up, turning it over in her hand again. but, figuring she has nothing to lose--unless she's about to activate a curse, of course--she states:] Destination. [she pauses for a moment. when it does nothing, she adds:] The bar. [she closes her eyes, picturing the bar, and presses the button]

[...silence stretches as nothing happens]