"I'm just . . ."

"Ooh, maybe I can put the rum in the cider--" by Thantosiet on 2014-10-11 00:32:00 UTC Reply

"You seem unusually excited about this whole thing, Eric," Helen commented.

"Hey, I don't get out much!"

"I can tell." Helen glanced at Gaspard, and replied to Tomoko, "I'd hate to be in your job and unable to drink. At least Bleeproducts should be all right? But tea actually does sound good."

"What kinds of food does Rudi's have? I don't expect you guys to buy that, I just want to know," Eric chimed in again.

((Whoops, forgot I hadn't replied to this.))

((Bleh, got held up on my end.)) by SeaTurtle on 2014-10-13 03:01:00 UTC Reply

((Sorry for the holdup.))

- - - -

"Rudi's mostly serves pub food: burgers, fries, salads, soup, the usual stuff," said Tomoko. "It's good but not great. The drinks are the main reason I go there."

Gaspard adjusted his walking pace so that he could walk alongside Eric. "Though if you're looking for food, you should go to New Caledonia. There's..." The Canadian agent looked at his sorta-partner. "Ma'am, why don't we go to New Caledonia? If I recall correctly, it should only be the fifth time partition past the end of the afternoon shift, so all of the eating establishments should still be open. The prices are also a lot more reasonable."

Tomoko stared off nito space, playing with her ponytail as she walked. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her wallet, and peered inside without breaking her stride. "Mmh. You got a point, G. Why don't you take us to that restaurant you always talk about?" she said as she slipped her wallet back in her pocket.

"Fatima's? I'd be happy to! Er... if you want to come with us, that is," said Gaspard, looking at Helen and Eric.

((It's fine, it happens)) by Thantosiet on 2014-10-14 17:46:00 UTC Reply

"Outside? We could go outside?" Eric was somewhere between hope and disbelief. "In World One?"

"Calm down, you'll start squeaking soon," Helen said, but without as much dry sarcasm as usual. Her eagerness wasn't as obvious as Eric's--but she'd been dying for a change of scenery beyond vaguely-described badfics and the grey-on-grey-on-grey of HQ. Rudi's had been an improvement, of course, but it was still inside.

"We'd love to," she said.

"Ah, excellent." by SeaTurtle on 2014-10-15 00:51:00 UTC Reply

Gaspard pulled his RA from a Pouch of Holding secured to his belt. He keyed in a set of coordinates on the calculator-like device, pressed a button, and waited."I take it neither of you have visited World One yet? It's a great place-- just wait and see."

A blue-rimmed portal poofed into existence on the wall next to the four agents revealing a cobbled square surrounded by tall brick buildings. A large fountain bubbled away in the centre of the plaza. The sky was a darkening blue studded with yellowish-pink clouds. A warm breeze wafted though the portal, carrying the smell of the sea with it. The two Spies walked though the portal, looking around to get their bearings.

"Lessee here... you set us down in Place Centrale, right? So that means..." said Tomoko as she rubbed her chin.

"The café is this way, ma'am," replied Gaspard, pointing to a side street lined with terraces, wooden signs, and trees. The junior agent looked over his shoulder at Eric and Helen who were still standing on the HQ side of the portal. "Oh! Right this way, agents. Follow us."

Eric inhaled the sea scent with a look of ecstasy. by Thantosiet on 2014-10-15 00:55:00 UTC Reply

He bounded through the portal and turned a full circle, gazing around in amazement. "I love it! Sorry," he added, in a less shouty voice.

Helen followed after a moment's hesitation. After so much blandness the change was almost overwhelming. Colors, textures, smells, sounds, even the air had different tastes in it--salt, mostly. She didn't even know what to say, just looked mutely to the other two.

Eric noticed the borderline awe and came up beside her, giving her a quick squeeze on the shoulder. "Told you this was going to be fun," he said quietly. To the other two, he said, "So, cafe, then?"

"Onwards!" said Tomoko... by SeaTurtle on 2014-10-15 02:56:00 UTC Reply

...as she turned on her heels and proceeded down the alley. "All right. According to the pictures I've seen, we're looking for a terrace that's bordered by a white iron fence. The café belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Beydoun, the parents of a colleague of ours. The café has "Fatima's" written over it on a big wood sign so it shouldn't be too hard to miss."

As the group made their way down the street, Gaspard turned to look at the Floaters. Seeing that Helen was staring at her surroundings as if she'd not been outside in a while, he asked: "Agent Helen, is everything all right? You seem... overwhelmed."

"I'm just . . ." by Thantosiet on 2014-10-15 10:53:00 UTC Reply

Helen wasn't quite sure what to say. Or even if she should talk; that seemed like it would distract from taking in this place. Just about the only thing missing--at least for her, but she was never going to admit it in front of fellow Agents--was something sparkly. She'd always liked things other people usually considered gaudy, hence the over-the-top belt she'd had in her fic of origin. That interest had been pretty well quashed by the PPC, where glitter too often meant Sue. "I'm fine."

"Is that it?" Eric pointed towards a white-fenced terrace a little ways ahead of the group.