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Tweak says, "All your base are belong to us"

prettypoppet (prettypoppet) wrote in toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-06-28 00:06:00

Entry tags:

character development, mary_roper, nell_abbot

Mary goes exploring
Subject: Exploring the theater
Who: Mary Roper, anyone who's around
Where: Bridge Theatre
Warnings: none
Open to: Harry's boys, anyone who would happen to be at the theater.

Mary wasn't one to go bothering her brother about just anything, but she was curious about the theater. She hadn't gotten to explore it the other day what with meeting Piper and Helene and it had been so much fun she'd forgot near everything in any case. But today she hadn't got much else to do, being between rounds of auditions and if she stayed home she'd just think and thinking wasn't nothing to be doing by yourself when your head was all traitorous. So she'd thought of the Bridge. She'd thought of dropping by Slater's place too but it was daylight and most of them would be out on business or asleep, and she didn't much fancy risking someone else seeing her and telling Harry about it. Not til she'd had a chance to explain a bit in any case... 'Course she was going to have to see himself sometime soon what with that convesation with Ann still swirling round her brain.

In any case, maybe she could just pop in and look around. Harry hadn't said she wasn't allowed, after all... Feeling much more resolute, she slipped through the door and made her way through the foyer. A palace, Helene had called it. But it wasn't a very welcoming palace... maybe it was the palace of a Genie. Which would probably make her brother the wicked djinn who was loosed from his lamp and brought despair to those who wished upon it, she thought with a half smile. So she was sister to the Djinn, would that make her safe here? But she was part human, of course. Perhaps her djinni brother did not like that, and he would banish her to the darkest desert if she was discovered. She carefully altered her steps so she made as little sound as posible.

It sounded like someone was practicing something... Shakespeare from the cadence, or maybe one of those other plays like that. She was about to go in when she heard footsteps. Maybe it was Piper? She turned to greet whoever it was, trying not to look as out of place as she suddenly felt, or as guilty at being discovered in the forbidden palace...

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	little_star 2008-06-28 10:46 pm UTC (link)
	"What are you doing her, Miss Mary?" Nell asked, courteous enough although he didn't feel like being. "If you're looking for Harry he's in his office." He hoped she wasn't. He still couldn't come to believe Harry when he said Mary was his sister. Why he'd never spoken of her before still worried Nell. (Reply to this) (Thread)

prettypoppet
2008-06-29 02:14 am UTC (link)

Mary's smile faltered only a litle when she recognized Nell, but she kept it up. It wasn't his fault he'd been a bit awful; Harry just never thought about things and he never talked even half enough to let you know up from down.

"I'm not, actually. I'm not even sure I'm allowed to be here, only I was curious. Lord knows the housekeeper's half like to box my ears if she knows." Mary rolled her eyes. "The list of things "a sister of Mr Fisher's" isn't allowed to do. Honestly. You'd think my brother had a title and coronet to match and didn't come from the old neighborhood same as us all..." She paused and smiled apologetically, aware that she was talking fast but not really inclined to slow down.

"I don't suppose you could show me around a little? Harry hasn't ever said I wasn't allowed, strictly speakin. Not that he ever says much of anythin. Have you noticed that? Anyway, please let's look around. I'm dying to see the rest. Harry's office really can't be the most impressive thing, can it?" Eager, enthusiastic and just a little bit pleading. She really wanted to see the theater, and hoped that Nell would give in at least for a short tour.

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little_star
2008-06-29 10:49 am UTC (link)

"A tour?" Nell said, watching her intently. A tour could hardly hurt, not that there was really much to see in the theatre and if she really was Harry's sister perhaps he'd be pleased with Nell for showing her around and being nice for a change. "Why not? And no, but he does keep a rather find collection of spirits in there."

Not that Nell was supposed to have any after his latest indiscretion.

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prettypoppet
2008-06-29 08:39 pm UTC (link)

Mary laughed. The djinn's apprentice was an unexpected obstacle, but he wasn't quite as dangerous as his master... She resisted the urge to ask whether the spirits were those of captured princes. Nell didn't seem like the type to join in with games. "Spirits? Oh yes, I remember. Let's save that part for last, though. I want to hear about this place," she gestured to the room around them. "Tell me the story of it. And don't leave out how exactly Harry came to have it, because he hasn't told me yet. ...."

She paused and took Nell's arm, though he hadn't offered it. "Maybe as we go I can explain a bit about why Harry never told you about me? Did he tell you about Ann?"

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	little_star 2008-06-29 08:43 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh, well, I don't know when it was built but it used to be in my family." Nell said, surprised when she took his arm but he didn't try to pull it away. "My father ran it and my mother was one of the actresses, the star actually." "Ann?" He said, stopping dead. "Who's Ann?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

prettypoppet
2008-06-29 10:32 pm UTC (link)

"Really? It's your theater? Oh, it must have been wonderful to have a mother who was an actress..." Mary looked at Nell in wonderment.

She turned to look at him and shook her head. "Really, Harrys' hopeless isn't he?" She sighed. "Ann's the oldest. Then Harry, then me..." She stopped and had to think a moment. "I guess that at least means that he doesn't just forget about me. He forgets about all of us... in any case, Nell, Harry has two sisters, and he's got a mother running about somewhere, and probably a father 'cause I'm pretty sure we've all three got a different father. But stop worrying your head about him not talking about it- he's got a silly idea that if people know he's got a family that they'll be in danger. From Slater, I suppose, and Lord knows who else." She looked at Nell very closely as if to make sure he could handle all that at once.

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little_star
2008-06-29 10:42 pm UTC (link)

"Well, not mine so much any more. My mum got really sick when I was still young and my dad had all these debts all over the place for doctors and the like. When he died Harry brought them up and the theatre" And me Nell thought although he didn't say that out loud.

"Slater? I suppose that makes sense." Nell said slowly. It did sound more believable if there were too of them. "Wish he'd told me but I guess he can't trust anyone, not after what Viv did."

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	prettypoppet 2008-06-30 03:59 am UTC (link)
	Mary nodded. The world wasn't kind to orphans. "When my parents disappeared, I was so lost. I don't even know what happened to our house, or none of the things. I'd thought Harry was dead and Ann had been gone so long... It's not easy, just being by yourself of a sudden. It's a good thing you had a sponsor so quick." She frowned. "Viv? Who's that?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

little_star
2008-06-30 08:09 am UTC (link)

"What did you do then? I mean, yes, it is a good thing Harry came along - much better being here in my home than out on the streets." Nell said carefully.

"Viv was...a firend of Harry's from back before when he was young, about the time he left home. She used to take care of us here, cook and clean and things like that but she was...playing around with Slater behind Harry's back and he didn't take kindly too it, throw her out."

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prettypoppet
2008-06-30 04:12 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, then?" Mary shrugged. She'd stayed with Slater for a bit til she was settled with the Elliots full-time, but maybe that wasn't a thing to tell the servant of a djinn. Especially considering the news of this Viv. "A lot of things," she said after a moment. Let Nell make of it what he would. "I ended up working as a nurse maid for a lovely family, though. They were very kind."

"Nell, why are Slater and Harry so.... well, like this?" Maybe it had been something that happened lately, something that it wasn't too late to fix, somehow. Maybe.

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little_star
2008-07-03 01:01 pm UTC (link)

"That's a good job though, what you doing back round here?" Nell asked, rather surprised she'd give up work like that.

He looked around, wanting to make sure no-one else was with them although it hardly needed to be a secret did it only Harry had kept it that way for a long time and Nell didn't want it spreading about.
"Well, obviously they're both in the same line of work so there's always going to be problems there but it's more than that. Harry...when he left home he fell in with a boy that worked for Slater but who wasn't happy about it. Harry took him away from all that, looked after him but Slater didn't take well to one of his boys walking out on him and he...he killed him. Harry’s never really gotten over it. Still visits his grave though it’s been sixteen years."

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prettypoppet
2008-07-03 04:17 pm UTC (link)

"Sir Elliot's finances took a bad turn. I worked for a Lord and Lady Stanley after that... 'til his Lordship decided to start chasing me through the house. I didn't want nothing to do with him but you know that lot. Wouldn't take no, and when Lady Stanley's friends seen him... " She sighed. "I came here to ask Harry 'bout a job. It just turned out he was my brother, otherwise I don't know what I would've done."

The news of Slater having killed a runaway was nothing surprising. What else could you do when someone insulted your gang like that? It was far more disturbing that Harry was still so upset about it. She looked down and avoided Nell's gaze for a moment. "That's a long time," Mary's voice was quiet. "But that does explain it a bit... 'Course, what would Harry do if one of his boys took off?" she was puzzled.

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	little_star 2008-07-04 09:19 am UTC (link)
	"Oh." Nell said, "I'm sorry about that." He didn't really know if being wanted by a Lord was a bad thing, exactly. He frowned, not able to believe Mary could liken Harry to Slater, even if it was only by implication. "Wait for them to fail and come back, that's what he said, but no-ones ever left because Harry treats 'em fair and looks after 'em." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

prettypoppet
2008-07-06 10:20 pm UTC (link)

Mary kept her expression neutral. It were easy sayin' you'd do right when you hadn't been tested. "That's a rare thing, then." She turned her attention back to the theater.

"But he'll have his chance, like as not. They'll have their war, and whoever loses..." she trailed off. Whichever way it went, she lost someone and there'd be no mourning them. "I hope Harry knows what he's started." Her voice was barely even a whisper. When she looked back at Nell the seriousness was gone.

"So, let's see this theater now, shall we? What play are you rehearsing lately?"

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	little_star 2008-07-10 07:50 am UTC (link)
	"Harry didn't start anything," Nell said, "It was Slater who's been coming over here, on our side of the river and bothering me. I told him I don't want a job with him but he doesn't leave off. Harry’s just protecting us." "Romeo and Juliet." Nell said sullenly, leading her through the back hallway to the stage. (Reply to this) (Parent)