InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Too much pressure man!"

Oliver. King. (cyprian) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-06-20 04:14:00

Entry tags:

dorian gray, plot: delta, plot: tempus

Who: Trenton & Isobel & [whomever would like to show their shining faces]
What: Post speakeasy-escape, reconvening on the street and then catching some warmth inside a local diner while plans are made.
Where: Chicago, 1929.
When: Late, nearing sunrise to after sunrise.
Warnings: N/A.
Notes: Like I said, if any of the escapees wants to join them, feel free. Or forever hold your peace.

It was too cold to hang out in the alley for any longer than necessary, besides one typically wanted to flee the scene of the crime, not rub elbows with the police. Trenton had spent many chilling winters in New York, but Chicago felt colder somehow. The wind seemed to take serious offense to them, and it whipped violently at the hem of Isobel's dress as Trenton led them to the sidewalk and quickly down the street.

He hadn't said anything, or encouraged her statement about them finding a place to stay. Trenton was silent as he helped her/pulled her down the sidewalk, suddenly thinking very heavily on the subject of money. He'd never really had to worry about money before, but the realization that credit cards probably didn't exist in 1929 was enough to make him feel a little ill. What was he.. supposed to do?

Isobel said that she had some money in her purse, but how much money could a woman be expected to keep on them? Besides, Isobel didn't even live on the Deluxe floor of Bellum -- how were they going to afford the Plaza or the Four Seasons with what she had in her purse? Trenton briefly cursed himself because now that he thought back on it, he was fairly certain that he'd seen that one redheaded cunt from P1 back at the speakeasy. She probably had a decent amount of money on her.

Wonderful, Dorian drawled. Now we're stuck with this wreck of a girl.

Trenton frowned, the cold finally getting to him enough that he gestured to the distant neon glow of a diner on the corner. "Let's warm up and figure out what the fuck we need to do."

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twodays_slow
2010-06-21 03:16 pm UTC (link)

Yes, Theo would very much love a cup of coffee. He'd also love a cigarette, but he'd already checked and he didn't have any of those, so at least he could have some lovely, lovely caffeine. He opened his mouth to ask for some, but what emerged instead was "Tea for me, hot and hearty."

That wasn't very nice. Theo was supposed to be the one controlling the mouth, that had always been the deal. He had the sneaking suspicion that had been the new voice, taking over, and he didn't like him as much anymore.

"Don't got tea," the waitress informed him.

A little smug, Theo beamed up at her. "Cup o' Joe it is, then!" He continued beaming until she went to get it, then turned the grin to his new friend. "I detest tea, truthfully." Well, really, he'd never tried it, but he hated it on principle now.

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clowning
2010-06-21 06:10 pm UTC (link)

"Unfortunately, tea isn't strong enough for me."

Miles watched the waitress enthusiastically skitter off along the gleaming sea of tile, to fetch the hatted mans order. More accurately, he'd followed her retreat searchingly the way a jackal would monitor the unsteady gait of a newly born cub--carefully, curiously, and filled with a need to pounce. He'd turned back to his company with a knowing grin and a sigh that parted his mouth, and inspired him to speak more.

"So, are you from that haunted apartment?" he'd asked without shame. He was never one to care much for possibly appearing like a fool, and in all honesty, he'd rather like to get to know some of the people in the building now, then he'd ever had before. Probably on account of all this confusion.

"Odd night, hasn't it been?" he'd added, as he reached deliberately for the sugar packets aside from him.

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twodays_slow
2010-06-21 09:03 pm UTC (link)

"I'm found on the first floor." Theo was glad to find another person from the building, as well. Strangely, he hadn't met that many people yet. He'd think that, on the first floor, they'd all have to pass him by quite a bit... but apparently not so! "Have you flipped through the forum? It's seems it's strange successively, or so they say." He'd been looking forward to it, and so far he wasn't disappointed.

When his coffee arrived, he gulped down half the cup black, without a care for the fact that it was burning his tongue. Ahhh, caffeine... just what he'd needed it. He sat up even straighter, even bouncing a little in his seat. "The name is Theo, if you care to know."

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clowning
2010-06-22 02:55 am UTC (link)

"You may call me Miles."

There was a reason, indeed, for him ordering his words in such a way as if this were some sort of privilege to be referring to him as Miles. Unbeknownst to Mr. Theo, when Miles did not like somebody's 'vibe', 'aura', 'disposition', they were to call him Rupert. Of course, this all lost meaning when he would perform as Miles Glass, the magician... and every fool would call him thus... ah, the coffee was setting in. He tap tap tap'd the side of his cup. My oh my, the coffee back then was strong! And was that chicory he detected? Anyway.

"Pleasure to meet you Theo. What do you reckon is the cause for this mass hallucination, if it is a hallucination? Or do you think we've been pulled into some kind of retrocausal bridge?"

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twodays_slow
2010-06-22 04:03 am UTC (link)

An M! Theo was delighted... he seemed to have misplaced his M, might this be a replacement? How thoughtful of the building.

"I believe it's the building, by my browsing." Theo shrugged, not really caring so much about the why. The important part was that it was ever so interesting.

It's Time, you know. He's quite abandoned us. The new voice sounded just a touch sad, but that didn't last long. But that's quite all right! At least he left me at teatime.

Shut up, Theo told him. You tried to make me take tea. I don't like you right now.

Well, that's not very nice! He is you, and you are he, and it's not very nice to say that to ones-self.

Quite... ahhh... true, you kn-

With a small pout, Theo rubbed his forehead. "Have you ever had a moment, M, where your mind seems unpleasantly noisy?" If he could reach into his own mind to strangle them, at the moment, he would.

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clowning
2010-06-22 04:19 am UTC (link)

A pause...

... or was that reluctance? Hesitation? After a few seconds dangled between them like sloughing chandeliers, he embarked on the question as if he were treading thin ice. Honestly, he hadn't felt quite right for a long while, not since well... he couldn't place it. He had to amend and explain himself after he was only able to whip up:

"Not as much as my instincts." as an almost automated response.

And then he'd glanced around, as if what he was about to impart had an air of secrecy, or that it required a bit more privacy than he usually afforded any of his information. H was actually feeling more secretive than usual. Unlike him. He usually was very open.

"I feel as if something is... missing. My instinct tells me something is missing. And the unpleasant noise might be there, but it isn't as strong as my instincts."

I'm good you know! I only want to help... he'd consoled himself inwardly, as if from a remote source. Yes, maybe it was noisy, this mind of his, of late.

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	twodays_slow 2010-06-22 04:36 am UTC (link)
	Theo's pout grew. "It's normally noisy, but they never negated my notions. Now it's noisier, and they're nicer to the new one." That wasn't right. They were supposed to be Theo's friends... it just wasn't fair. If you'd just allow, I'd illuminate... No! Theo tried to ignore the new voice, as best he could. No, no, I don't want to know. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

clowning
2010-06-22 04:46 am UTC (link)

"You're the only person I've met tonight who makes any sort of sense!" he'd exclaimed, slamming his hand onto the counter lightly. It was the work of the caffeine making him want to gesticulate wildly or tap his foot beneath the table rhythmically. It'd been so long since he'd had coffee. He was remembering why he enjoyed it so much. He had even slid his cup to the edge of the table and flicked his wrist.

"Everyone else seems so shut off from reality. It's the allegory of the cave, Theo, and we've been out of the cave, and here we are, inside of it again."

Oddly enough, the waitress, even having her back turned, somehow seemed to come to his call. Miles didn't notice this. The gesture had come naturally, and as she hurriedly filled his cup and went off again to check on others, he went for the sugar packets again with a sigh.

"Or is this the cave at all? Maybe we're still in the building...

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	twodays_slow 2010-06-22 05:07 am UTC (link)
	"I've never been in a cave." Theo had never been that good with allegory, so he took what Miles said at face value. "I'm too tall, and they're too small." He didn't mind not being in a cave, though, not really. It seemed like it would be awfully cramped and dark. Maybe that was what Miles meant. "Do you like caves? Or do you despise them?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

clowning
2010-06-22 05:23 am UTC (link)

"Oh, Theo... I hate caves as well. Why? Of course, I've seen what lies beyond them! I've experienced the world! I've traveled. I've met glorious, selfish, saints and sinners. I've bothered over many a quaint and curious lore. I've beheld such things... such things... and for this, I couldn't hate caves any more!"

Taking another heaping dose of his coffee, he began to feel more content that he was seemingly participating in a sort of grand illusion. One in which there were other unwilling participants. Just as life was becoming a prison, he was released into a new one.

"By the way, I can be found on the second floor. If at any time we must return, and say, you require something, don't hesitate to come to my door. I'm very helpful, you see." he grinned, batting his lashes for effect and shrugging his shoulders. "That's just me."

Stop making everything rhyme...
... no, no, you must take advantage of this quality, while it's still in it's prime! What if your new friend requires a favor? Wouldn't you like to be his savior?

"And it seems this is not a thing we're waking up from. It's real. We're going to be stuck here a while, I feel."

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twodays_slow
2010-06-22 05:32 am UTC (link)

It was hard not to admire the way Miles used words. Theo stared at him somewhat adoringly for a moment, giving that lovely speech the appreciation it deserved. "I like to be helpful, as well, but no one ever seems to want my sort of help." It was a shame, Theo felt. He was a very useful man to have around, if only they'd realize it. Who else could make them such wonderful hats?

As for being stuck... "It's Time, you see. He's left the table in a tiff. Quite miffed." Hm. Theo wasn't sure where that had come from, but it did seem to make quite a bit of sense. "I'm sure if he could be coaxed to acquit, it would all be over, lickety-split."

I'm glad you're taking my advice. Why does Time fly?

Hm, Theo hadn't the foggiest idea.

Neither do I, I've just always wondered.

...maybe the new voice wasn't so bad, after all.

I'm glad to have your approval. It would make things very uncomfortable for you to keep disapproving of you.

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clowning
2010-06-22 06:14 am UTC (link)

"Are we to assume then, that time is a thing? Oh my! The chaos that'd bring... " The smooth skin of Miles' forehead rumpled; the crease was teasingly impressed to stay and did not soften, even as he went on to explain. The curve of both his brows ascending. "How much sense it makes, however, and how clever of you to endeavor, and for everyone else's sakes." his index and thumb cradled his chin, where it was nestled and stroked. He hmm'd audibly. "Then again, man invented time--for this, the chagrin of believing it was in and of itself, would give yourself, and I, quite a climb toward a mountain we might miss. You're right, though, Theo... all we imagine might make itself, all right! And in so doing, we invented time."

He nodded sagely, the node in his crinkled brow softening. "Quite. And what a crime. Imagine a world where we needn't time breathing down our back? Waiting around the corner like a robber, with a sack! Waiting to shove us in, and oh, that cunning time, with a grin!"

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	twodays_slow 2010-06-22 06:20 am UTC (link)
	"But with no time," Theo felt compelled to move out. "There's no forward or back. We'd be stuck in a second, and wouldn't that be boring?" Time... the concern of the moment. Definitely something to think about. He took another, slightly pensive sip of his coffee. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

clowning
2010-06-22 06:25 am UTC (link)

"Of course there would be. Do not numbers exist without us having to know math? There are two cups on the table full of coffee, and two men sitting at one booth. Without us saying that mathematics exist, this would be a fact, or ... an interpretation. And so time would exist forward, here, and back, in one block. Or, at least that's what I believe. It would be boring living in a second. I can't imagine a second having any kind of sense of style as far as decorum goes--flighty, fickle, and cool and quick to go as a drop of april snow, as they are."

He suddenly felt hungry. How much money did he have in his pockets? He began rifling around in them with both of his hands, in each pocket, at the same time.

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	twodays_slow 2010-06-22 06:40 am UTC (link)
	Theo searched his pockets, as well, and drew out a twenty dollar bill. That didn't seem like it would go far at all, but twenty and twenty would go further for two than one twenty would go for one, he thought. "Would you like to conspire?" He beamed at his new friend. "Exploration isn't as much fun alone." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

clowning
2010-06-22 10:24 pm UTC (link)

"Of course I would."

Just near simultaneously did the both of them produce a twenty. He placed his between his index and fore, holding it up for Theo to see. It was noted inwardly that he'd had a lot more on him before this had all happened (the time warp, that is.) but, if this mass hallucination could make him move backward in the sea of time, despite its mightiest currents forward, well... perhaps he'd stumble upon where it was left.

"If we're stuck here, we should begin looking into business investments as soon as possible."

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