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 Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:46 pm
"Grazie," Malodore said, giving Riley a courtly bow. "I will be sure to include that in my future career plans." It opened its beak in a smile as it straightened.
"Ah, si - for now, we must study these before they become entirely FEAR-imbued and therefore mundane..." It turned back to the samples, discarding the tweezers in favor of a pair of forceps. "You wish to focus on the toy samples first? I can put away the others."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:57 pm
Yes, let's. I want to know exactly how a little piece of fluff and cloth managed to respond in such a lifelike manner, going so far as to attack us. Something had to have breathed life into it. What do you think?
The responses to stimuli that the samples gave weren't really helping her figure out a solution to this problem, because the responses were automated, and clearly not a sign of life. Yet.
I wonder if there is any clue in their makeup.. her tweezers took to the fibers of the fluff again, and were greeted with the same response that Malodore had summoned. I certainly don't expect any kind of genetics are involved. It almost seems as though it is purely of magical origin. Do you think they were perhaps enchanted? And if so.. who, exactly, possesses powers such as those in Christmastown? Surely a magic user would have found themselves here by now.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:44 pm
"JOY-magic could be entirely different from ours... their basic makeup is vastly strange. The rules we think are set in stone might not apply there. Truly, Christmas Town is an alien world..." Malodore shook its head as it re-captured all the other samples, putting them away carefully. "I have heard of things such as 'sugar plum fairies', for example. You've heard the 'cute' stories, no doubt... things to disgust children." While it could not actually make a proper disgusted face, its tone more than conveyed that emotion.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:58 pm
Sugar plum faeries? Riley repeated, in a tone far less disgusted than Malodore. Why that sounds delicious. How does one eat a sugar plum faerie? Is their brain tiny, like most faeries, or perhaps does the plum part refer to abnormally sized brains, all plump and juicy and..
Riley drifted off for a moment, while visions of sugar plum brains danced in her head.
Sometimes I almost find myself not hating that place. She shook herself out of it. But it's rare.
Getting back to the samples, she prodded deep into the fluff, trying to feel for anything solid that could be indicative of organs, or even a mechanical device. It will be difficult for someone to control multiple worlds, if the rules are so different between them. Difficult, but not impossible. I suppose that's why each town has a ruler. I wonder who rules the human world right now?
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:40 pm
"You want to rule Christmas Town?" Malodore blinked. "Shall I call you Sandy Claws?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:03 am
Riley lifted her half-lidded eyes up to Malodore. Only if you're tired of existing, she teased. Her tweezers were lifted up and pointed at him in gesture. I am only conjecturing. Though, if I were to be honest, technically I hope to one day rule everything. If that must include Christmastown, well.. then it must. Her expression seemed very put off by the idea. I would just.. rule from afar. Continue to let Sandy Claws run the machine in my stead, you see.
She straightened up and stretched out her back - bending over the table so much was bringing her a little discomfort. All irrelevant theory, of course - I highly doubt it would come to that. I've got my sights set on better prizes.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:15 am
"A lofty goal indeed," Malodore said, with a nod. It brought up its own pair of forceps to ting lightly against the tweezers pointed in its direction.
It also tilted its head critically at her discomfort. "I ought to obtain a stool, if you are to be here for any length of time. I would not want you to suffer spinal distress, and I think these experiments are well worth the time... I hope you agree?" it added, hopefully.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:33 am
The corners of her eyes crinkled at the forcep snap, and she shrugged slightly. I like to think big. She responded in quiet amusement.
At the mention of a stool, she lit up. That would be very nice, actually. By no means do I wish this to be a one night stand. Oh, how punny. Besides, I hope there's more we can fuss over than just the Christmastown relics you've collected, when we've completed their analysis. That is, of course, if you can tolerate my company. She held her hands palms upward, and shrugged. I'm sure you're sick of me already. Her voice was clearly teasing, but she played it off as though she believed it.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:54 am
"Why should I think that? I believe working with you would be not only mentally stimulating, but enjoyable as well," Malodore said firmly. "I will see what I can requisition from the gnomes." The forceps clicked together tightly at the word gnomes - evidently Malodore still hadn't forgiven them for their mismanagement of the infirmary.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:33 pm
Riley pressed her hand against her forehead and laughed softly. I was only teasing you. Though I will admit I like hearing you say that. She put the tweezers down for a moment, giving him a careful look. You're still mad at those gnomes, I see. Not that I can blame you. Her eyes dropped to slits, and her voice turned smooth as silk. I could capture one for you, if you were ever curious about their physical make-up.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:41 pm
"Curious - no... vendicativo, perhaps," Malodore said, with a wicked edge to its voice. "Alas, I think our esteemed professors might take issue with such things, and I for one have no desire to end up in the..." It twitched. "Princess Corner."
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:02 pm
Riley had no experience with the Princess Corner yet, but from the sounds of it, she didn't want to. Still, what was life without a few risks? Well, if you ever change your mind, I'm more than willing. She murmured, turning her attentions down to the - wait a minute.
Uhm .. Malodore? She whispered, staring down at the spot where the fluff she'd been violating had once been. Where did it go?
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:03 pm
"-Merde," Malodore sighed, then straightened, its bladed tail swishing under the table and hitting nothing but table leg. "Luce..." The cwn pup - who had retreated to her bed shortly after her master and Riley had begun doing Boring Things - sat up. "Cercare!"
She immediately sprang out of bed, growling slightly, and looked around, her head swiveling with predatory speed as she scanned the room.
"There. Luce will locate it and subdue it," the plague doctor said, though it did subtly shift to make sure the thing hadn't gotten under its coat somehow.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:29 pm
Riley perked at the word, recalling it frequently. As Malodore instructed Luce, she picked up the Italian Dictionary and flickered through the pages quickly. She stopped at the c's to glance at the second word Malodore had used, before dropping down to the m's for the much more commonly used one. When she finally found it, her finger rested on the word and traced along it's definition as she read it. One eyebrow lifted slowly, before her eyes flickered to Malodore.
Hm. Malodore. I never would have guessed. Her voice had an admiring tone about it - clearly she approved of Malodore's filthy mouth.
She continued flipping idly through the book, now that she had it in her hands, but her eyes strayed to watch Luce at work. Her eyelids drooped as she chuckled. Luce is, with all honesty, the best pet I have ever met. My own pets would be jealous at my fondness for her. She tore her eyes away from the pup, focusing on the book for a minute more before putting it down again, and eyeing the other samples. She wanted to make sure none of them ran off while Luce was looking for the fluff.
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:36 am
Malodore beamed - inasmuch as it could do so, at least. "Si - Parassiti is around here somewhere. My childhood pet... but Luce, I found her here. I suppose you could call her a symbol of my new life," it said, watching Luce with obvious fondness.
The pup was snuffling her way around the room, the tip of her tail swaying ever so slightly. A moment later she barked, then pounced forward almost like a cat. Her hackles stood up in little white waves as she dragged the fluff out from under one of Malodore's potted plant stands, forcing a growl out from around the struggling stuff in her mouth.
"Ah! Bene!" Malodore bent down and extracted the fluff (which was jabbing at everything in reach, though not with enough strength to puncture flesh). "There, see? All fixed. Molto buona, Luce."
The pup bounced up and down, clearly pleased with her mighty hunting skills.
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