Subject: Zeb thought his heart might burst.
Author:
Posted on: 2015-03-01 02:25:00 UTC
"N-no, not at all!" he said, stepping a little closer to Maxwell. "Go on."
((Ah, that would explain why I was getting error messages.))
Zeb said, not sure whether to be amused or annoyed.
((Take it away, Des!))
He crouched until his face was level with Maxwell’s. “Isn’t that a human physician?”
He took another swig, then shrugged. “I’m looking for my no-good partner. Have you seen him? Coat like mine, only shabbier, ginger goatee, brain full of nonsense?”
Maxwell wanted to point out the difference between "physicist" and "physician" to the stranger but decided that this wasn't a good time to discuss semantics. "I'm afraid I'm not too good at tracking things, sir, but I'll do my best. What is your name and department? We'll be able to look you up in a heartbeat."
Even though he was smiling a silly smile — it seems he was really drunk — his face still looked rather haughty.
“I am the Librarian. Department of Floaters. My partner calls himself Desdendelle.” He took another swig and hiccuped.
"You're the one who shouted at me when I went to the Canon Library?" Zeb asked, taking a few steps back. "Wait, no, your scent is different." His ears flattened. "Sorry for the mistake. Is your name really Librarian?"
“Do I look to you like the sort of person to sit in a library?” he wondered. He sat down on the Generic Surface floor — not before dusting it, of course. He shrugged. “‘Librarian’ is a pseudonym. Most of us renegade Time Lords tend not to go by our real names. The Doctor is the most famous example, I reckon.”
Then he thought better of it. "My partner talks a lot about this Doctor character," he said, latching on to the subject. "I think she's a bit smitten with him. What's he like?"
((Oh, Zeb, you're so unculutred. And rude. Ask about the newcomer, dammit!))
“I have no — hic! — idea.” He took another swig, then stoppered the now-empty bottle and shoved it into one of his coat’s voluminous pockets. “I never met him — he is a bit younger than me, and I never had any reason to fraternize with him even in the Academy.”
He looked a lot more sober than he was a moment before, and he had a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Why are you asking?”
...when the Librarian introduced himself. This guy was the Librarian.
Librarian. Department of Floaters. Time Lord. Also a member of the Continuity Council of Gallifrey-in-Exile. This was a very important person. He'd better find this Desdendelle guy quickly because surely an important person like the Librarian had important people things to do alongside his partner. Or something. Maxwell racked his brains, trying to find someone he'd seen recently that fit the Librarian's description of his partner. The Lightning Pokémon remembered seeing someone sitting at the tables at Rudi's wearing a similar-looking coat. Very similar coat, in fact. Did the Librarian take his partner's coat?
"Oh, I think I know who you're talking about!" said Maxwell. "He's sitting in Rudi's pub at the moment. I think. Want me to show you the way?"
“Oh? You have a way to navigate this accursed maze?” the Librarian asked doubtfully. “This is much more important than my partner. Do tell me.” It didn't quite sound like the Time Lord was asking.
Maxwell turned around towards Rudi's again and started walking, lecturing over his shoulder. "First, you got your three dimensions. You also got time, and consciousness, and another one I can't remember but has to do with plotholes. Anyways, you move normally in 3D and time but your degree of awareness or consciousness does a thing that allows you to slip along, like, an axis of space or something and then you get where you need to be. The more conscious you are, the sort of, like, 'bigger' distance you move in that dimension. The last one? Iunno."
- - -
((Named after a famous physicist, can't lecture for squat. I'm very disappointed in you, Maxwell.))
"Are you understanding any of this?" he asked over Maxwell's chatter.
((I feel like my posts are ridiculously short.))
“Of course I understand. What do I look like, a human?” the Time Lord asked. “Do continue, Maxwell. The concept is interesting enough, though you do some somewhat unfamiliar with it. Do you perchance know the person who formulated it?”
((Your posts are fine. They’re not a single word, for starters. Something is happening in them.))
"Oh, Ben and the rest of us were shown a map of HQ during our tour of DIA central. We got the explanation from Doctor... er... Doctor..." The Jolteon's face scrunched up, deep in thought. "He had a white coat."
muttered Zeb in a rare fit of sarcasm. More loudly, he said, "How come it's just the DIA agents who get maps of this place?"
((Because reasons, Zeb. Don't you know anything?))
"Besides, you Action Department people are all about what's going on outisde HQ. DIA and DES-- well, we kinda need to know out way 'round this place."
The Jolteon checked the RC numbers going by. Rudi's should just be around the corner...
“I should get the data somewhere. I wonder how would Tablet interface with it…?” the Librarian obviously didn’t notice he was thinking out loud; he was more inebriated than he thought. “Those concepts might even help me get closer to the Osirians’ Riddle...”
"That the map exists is pretty common knowledge in the PPC-- but actually knowing how it's shown to you..." Maxwell smiled. "The only way for anyone to see it is to become part of the DIA. Sorry sir, but that's the way the Poffin crumbles."
The Librarian shrugged. “Such limitations did not stop me in my quest before and they will not start to do so now.” A pause. “That is the establishment you were speaking of, Maxwell, is it not?”
Indeed, the Time Lord was pointing at Rudi’s front door, which was about sixty metres away from him and the pair of Pokémon.
"Just go in and take a look around. The last time I saw him was at a table." The Jolteon added as an afterthought: "Oh, and if you're thinking of joining DIA... it's a commitment. You're not gonna just enter just to get a look at the map, right? Right?"
- - -
((I don't think that's going to stop him, Maxwell.))
He didn’t say anything; let Maxwell think what he will. He entered Rudi’s and took a look around, then exited the pub again.
“He is here,” he informed the two Pokémon. “I must add that his table seems to be quite full.”
"Making friends is fun!" said Maxwell, nodding his head sagely. "Just look at me and my buddy Zeb over here. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea that I'd find someone cool to hang with! Right, Zeb?" Maxwell bumped into Zeb's side to emphasize his point. "But if you wanna give your partner some space, that's totally cool too. We were exploring HQ to find the pool and become famous. If you've got nothing to do, wanna join?"
Maxwell seemed to be inadvertently doing everything to keep Zeb from being able to just have a nice conversation with him. But he couldn't say so without appearing rude.
"Erm, yes, you could come with us if you so desire," Zeb said, making a careful effort to keep his voice neutral. Though considering how drunk the Librarian seemed to be, he might not have needed to bother.
((By the way, I referenced Time Lords in the Rose Potter mission; is it okay if I have Zeb mention he once met the Librarian?))
The Librarian looked from Zeb to Maxwell, an amused glint in his eyes. “I shall go and join my partner. There are some questions that need to be asked.”
Waving cheerfully, he entered the pub and made a beeline to Desdendelle’s table.
((Go right ahead. It’s intertextual; the more intertextuality in the PPC, the better!))
Thank you, he thought after the Librarian. He turned to Maxwell, grinning broadly. "So... shall we go find that pool?"
((Awesome! Thanks! And that reminds me, my upcoming Time Lord agent is probably going to want to seek out others to ask them questions (she doesn't have a lot of experience being a Time Lord). Would you be up for a co-write sometime in the future?))
((I'm always up for co-writes, assuming writer's block doesn't hold me in its evil clutches. It seems that interludes are less affected by it, however.))
Maxwell started walking down the hallway, humming a little tune to himself. He continued for a while and turned to the Luxray beside him. "Say, Zeb... Can I ask you a personal question? OK, not sure if it's that personal but, y'know. I've been told that I don't really understand things sometimes. Sorry that it's kinda out of the blue but I really need to know..."
- - -
((Emiranlanoamar would be pleased to meet another member of his race. Feel free to send me an email at expertmechanic (at) yahoo (dot) com if you want to discuss things!))
Zeb swallowed, his heart hammering in his chest. "Y-yes?"
((I've sent a test email!))
Maxwell stopped walking and looked at Zeb in the eyes. "Okay. So. Well, let's not beat around the bush: you're a really nice-looking dude. I mean, look at that posture! That mane! Those eyes! You're an absolutely smokin' hot 'mon and I admire that. If you were back home I'd guarantee you'd be swimming in suitors. Now I know that you've only been here for a couple of days and that you might not know all there is to know about this place but... er..." The Jolteon fidgeted with his paws. "Okay. This is a lot more awkward than I thought I would be. Just tell me if this is awkward for you too and I'll just drop it."
- - -
((Crud, I messed up my own email address. It's supposed to be (dot) ca and not (dot) com.))
"N-no, not at all!" he said, stepping a little closer to Maxwell. "Go on."
((Ah, that would explain why I was getting error messages.))
"So. As I was saying, you're a pretty handsome 'mon. Probably a very gentlemanly guy as well. Right. Now, how do I put this..." Maxwell cleared his throat. "D'you know where I can find a nice lady friend? I mean, come on! You're probably making lady Pokémon swoon left and right when you walk down the halls. Even if you've just been here for a short while you gotta know something about where to meet people." Maxwell looked at Zeb expectantly. "So? Any ideas?"
- - -
((Bombs awaaaaaaaaaay....))
((Oh, man. Speaking of Maxwell, I have something completely diabolical in store for Zeb. More on that later.
On a completely unrelated note, I think that there's not enough unrequited love in the PPC. What do you think?))
((We need more unrequited love around here. Which is why Rina/Marvin won't become a thing.
Though what you have planned can't be nearly as diabolical as what I have in store for him. Oh, wait, you meant the RP?
((Just making sure, now.))