InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "They're coming to take me away"

Helena Wells-Quinzel is H.G. Wells (indelibleink) wrote in makebelievelog,
@ 2012-09-24 01:29:00

Entry tags:

claudia donovan, h.g. wells

Who: Claudia and H. G.
What: Claudia's filling H. G. in on the whole fictional thing and the projects she's working on over a cup of tea. Or maybe ten cups of tea.
When: Midnight-ish because who needs to sleep?
Where: Beginning at the bottom of the NW tower and moving to the kitchen?
Warnings: Touching on Warehouse explosion, character deaths, everything else TBA

There was far too much change for Helena to properly digest. First had been the whole being a hologram thing. Okay, so that she could somewhat deal with because, well, she had brought it on herself. She hadn't really let her inner emotions out about Christina, and her anger and hatred had ruled her. Oh she still felt incredibly horrible for what she'd done, for what she'd put Myka and the others through, but she was trying to make amends. Well, more like she had been trying to, but there was only so much a hologram could do. She'd even resigned herself to die because that meant Myka, the others and the Warehouse would be safe. She knew that if she was gone, then Sykes would be unable to fulfill his plans. But, of course, the best laid plans didn't always go smoothly. Sykes had put her back into her body, which had been more than unsettling. Not to mention she had some sensory overload for the first little while of being in her body again. Then, shortly there after, she'd died in the Warehouse. Only to end up in this place. So really, Helena was overwhelmed by everything. What had her life become? Just when she thought that maybe, just maybe she could have had some peace, even if her soul ended up in Hell, she at least wouldn't have to deal with sudden changes and sudden loss in her life. But no, instead of getting peace, she found herself alive and in some strange place.

So all right, she knew she shouldn't just mope around her room, as she had been doing, but she'd needed to try and process things on her own. But Claudia managed to lure her out with promise of tea. If there was something the British woman had a weakness for that wasn't science or other such geeky things, it was tea. She really could use a good pot of tea right now. So at the appointed time, Helena left her room and made her way to the stairs. So all right, Helena didn't mind the surroundings. In fact, she rather liked this castle. It made her feel as though she were in England again, in a way. She'd never lived in a castle but that was beside the point. So as she descended the stairs, her eyes were taking in the detail of the building and the decoration. Upon arriving on the ground floor, she looked around for the familiar redhead, easily finding her. Taking a breath, putting a smile on her face and pushing her emotions deep inside like any decent British person did, Helena walked over to her.

"Good evening, darling," she greeted. She was trying to be more cheerful than she felt, and despite the smile on her face, it didn't reach her eyes.

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indelibleink
2012-09-28 05:23 am UTC (link)

"I may join you both. I admit to being curious on seeing this." Of course, while she didn't like the overall implications of the things Claudia had told her, it would stop her from watching. After all, it could help her fill in some blanks on what the agents had done when she wasn't there. And really, it would be interesting to see what artifacts they'd dealt with during those times. "It would be more than intriguing to see how they even manage to adapt our lives into a television show given the complexities and curiosities we deal with on a daily basis."

As Claudia explained about how time operated in regard to their being here, Helena tilted her head in thought. "So our time here is more like a dream-state. But we are returned to the precise moment from which we are taken so it would seem as though no time has actually passed even though we may have been here for months. Which is a strange thing for time travel because that suggests time here moves at a completely different rate than it moves in our own world. It would seem this place is out of time or the laws of time that we know do not apply here and there is a completely different set of rules that apply in this world. Has anyone tried to explain that yet?"

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clauds
2012-09-29 05:48 am UTC (link)

"I have the DVDs and so does the library, so - you can watch old stuff too if you want, with the understanding of how to work the DVD player. If you don't know how, there can be lessons. Pretty easy." Claudia said with a small nod and a sigh, trying to use the brief bout of discussing DVD players as an excuse to postpone the time talk and give her a few brief moments more to think about what H.G. was saying. She had the mind for science, as far as intelligence went, but not the patience nor interest. All logic in the universe made sense when she was in front of the computer, going to town on a string of coding. Claudia never had a need to be the science one; that was fully Joshua's gig.

But this was also partially artifact-like in principal. "A realistic, pleasure feels good and pain hurts, can-die, and must sleep and eat and such while dreaming dream-like state. And - if it moves at a different rate here than our world, how does the whole 'taken from different points in time' thing work? Because Steve and I being from different points should really mess with the return aspect... and - I don't know if they have? Seriously, science sorts that have come and gone from this place and those that are here have tried to explain a lot. I've yet to actually - hear explanations, though."

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indelibleink
2012-09-29 09:21 am UTC (link)

"I would actually be interested in seeing this show. Though showing me how this DVD player works would be necessary. I am not yet overly familiar with the device to operate it on my own. No doubt I could eventually figure it out, but showing me the correct method of operation would be most welcome." Truthfully, Helena could probably figure it out on her own, though that would've involved taking the device apart and determining how it worked from that. But when Claudia made the offer, she'd take that route instead. While it would be a learning experience for her to take apart the device, she would take the easy way out.

As Claudia pointed out the different points in time thing, Helena pursed her lips, actually thinking that over. "That is certainly something that needs to be accounted for. Clearly time is somehow different because our world clearly doesn't continue on without us there. Or if it does than it would seem the world would be overrun by errant artifacts by this point with the number of us who are here." Tucking some hair behind her ear, she took a deep breath. "Though the dream-like state potentially suggests that time freezes when we are brought here, so that time does not continue to pass in our world while it does here. I would need to do some calculations on the matter, though."

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clauds
2012-09-29 11:36 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, like I said, that part is rather easily done. I can show you after we have tea, if you want. We can go back to your room via the library, so you know where it is, and grab a DVD to show you from there. Easy, less fuss?" Claudia figured to make the entire thing as painless as possible. There were so many more complicated to run machines than a DVD player, far more that could be gone into in-depth. All H.G. needed was to know how to run the DVD player.

"If time freezes when I'm taken, when you're taken, when Pete is taken, when Myka is taken - and if Artie and Leena could be taken too, if not others like Joshua or Dwayne or some of the Regents or - others, too... how much time could be spent paused?" That was a little insane to think about. How could a person even truly prove that with calculations? "Some people have been here over a year and - hypothetically, it could be a long stay."

"I - can I ask a question? What do you think the Regents will - do, will say, if they show up and realize the Warehouse is compromised public knowledge in this universe?" It was something Claudia had wondered about and, really, she wasn't sure who to ask. H.G. had a certain view of the Warehouse that no one else did.

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indelibleink
2012-09-30 04:43 am UTC (link)

"That would be most appreciated, thank you, darling," Helena replied with a little smile. Oh Helena knew there were plenty of things in the modern world that still confused her, but she did easily pick up how to use them when shown. Of course, her phone was still beyond her, but she knew the basics, and that was all she needed right now. The rest she'd experiment with because that's what she did with things she didn't understand. The scientific method was basically how she lived life. When she was of rational mind, anyway.

Helena thought over that for some moments. "I do not know. Perhaps however long that we are here, time remains frozen in our world. So I would estimate that however long one spends in this place, the same amount of time is spent frozen in their own world. If that is true, then it is a simple cause-and-effect, most likely. Time, like matter, cannot truly be destroyed, for time is a constant. If someone is displaced from their time stream physically, something must compensate for that for we cannot merely blink out of existence within our own world, and we cannot exist in both places at the same time." Unless this place made clones of them, but that would make things far more complicated.

At Claudia's question, Helena drew in a sharp breath. The Regents were not exactly her favorite topic of discussion, but she could handle it this time. "They might try to stifle it somehow. They do not like when things get out about the Warehouse. Though they would probably research all they could about the television show before doing anything. The fact that it is fictional here might stay their hand because people would not think it was actually real. And given the Warehouse itself isn't here, they might relax about it eventually. They would not like it, but they may end up not doing anything about it on a large scale in the end." Which was really saying something about the Regents who liked to take action.

At that, Helena remembered the tea. "Oh, I suppose we should drink our tea before it gets cold." Standing up, Helena took a moment to ensure her legs would hold her, which they would. With that, she went back to pouring the tea. "Milk? Sugar?" She asked, glancing at Claudia as she did so.

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clauds
2012-09-30 10:56 am UTC (link)

"Well. On the plus, if that's true, you're potentially over 1,000 years old instead of over 100." Claudia joked, though it was a bit weak as a whole. What H.G. had said about the regents was weighing heavily on Claudia's mind. She was somewhere between, as far as her opinion about the regents went. She didn't like them; the anger over Steve's death, over their attitude, still weighed on her. She had lashed out in a moment of anger at Jane Lattimer, but it had been out of a very real place of distrust for the Regents. Seeing the threat, the promise, to stop the Metronome if there was a bigger issue in its use only left Claudia all the more suspicious of the Regents. She understood the function, the need, but at the same time they had their moments where they seemed as sympathetic as a cat would be to a mouse. Jane's assistance in bringing Steve back had shown that there was hope, but they still weren't her favorite people ever.

And if they threatened everyone Claudia had become friends with or socialized with or told anything about herself while in the Land of Make Believe, something she had wondered if it might potentially happen... well, it wasn't necessary to say there would be a problem of epic proportions and, Claudia would've dared a venture she had more allies for help on her side than any regent just arriving would've. But she hoped no such thing would happen or, if it did, that the regent would be relaxed about it. "Sometimes the regents really just need to take a chill pill."

"Annnd -" Claudia could take tea straight but, since it was black tea and nothing flavored, she nodded and said, "A little sugar, please."

Hopefully, with everything considered and the tea and such, H.G. would be able to start settling down and settling into castle life. Claudia hoped things would be able to get to happy, abet not normal (since things were never normal), around the castle before too long.

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indelibleink
2012-09-30 10:52 pm UTC (link)

At the mention of her potentially being over 1,000 years old, Helena shot Claudia a mock offended look. "Claudia, really! If I were over 1,000 years old, I do not think I would look nearly this good." And there was a smirk because she was not above blowing her own horn in any situation. And it was better than letting herself dwell too much on the topic of the Regents. She understood their function, but she had a complete disdain for them, especially for the Janus Coin. That had been more than a little unnecessary. Really, Helena wished they had outright killed her, it would've made things far easier. And if she'd been gone, then at least Sykes would not have been able to get into the Warehouse or destroy it.

But really, the Regents were typically far too uptight for their own good. It was without a doubt the part of the Warehouse that Helena hated. She never would forgive them for sticking her on an artifact so they could use her whenever she was needed. At Claudia's comment, Helena blinked slightly. "I have no idea what a 'chill pill' is, but I will just simply agree that they need one. Though if you ask me, they deserve worse than that, but I am particularly biased on that matter." There was an edge to her voice, one that she didn't intend to be there, but she had an intense bitterness towards the Regents.

When Claudia asked for sugar, Helena grabbed some and added it to one cup, then she grabbed the milk and added a little to hers, taking a spoon and stirring it. She then picked up Claudia's cup and handed it to her, smiling. "And here is your tea, darling." Helena could smell the aroma of the tea, and it served to take her more back to England than she all ready felt being inside this castle. It truly was strange that she felt so completely at home in this strange land, but she did. And she hadn't felt like she'd belonged anywhere since before she'd been Bronzed.

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clauds
2012-10-01 05:34 pm UTC (link)

Claudia laughed at the mock offended look from H.G. as well as the remark about her looks. It wasn't a twinkle in the eye, regular ol' H.G., but it was a start. It was horn tooting and smirking and, as far as Claudia was concerned, it was more normal. "That saves all of us from having to catch up on birthday gifts."

She took the cup of tea with a smile and muttered "thanks" before gesturing toward the package of biscuits, just so H.G. remembered that it was there and hers. "Um. Since you can watch it and probably will, best to be honest about it... I told off one of the Regents. Pete's mom, actually. And I broke into the Regent's H.Q. and - she helped me in my plans to bring Steve back to life, because I had told her off, but that didn't go over too well since she was rogue in her decision to help me."

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indelibleink
2012-10-02 06:12 am UTC (link)

"You still have birthday gifts to catch up on, darling," Helena reminded her with a chuckle. While she still didn't have her usual twinkle in her eye, this was definitely a world better than she had been a couple minutes earlier. She was at least processing what Claudia told her. It would take some time for everything to truly sink in, but she wasn't fighting it.

Helena took a sip of her tea, a little pleased sound coming from throat as she did so. "You chose well, Claudia. This tea is simply marvelous," she said with a smile. She then took the package of biscuits and opened it, taking one out and dipping it into her tea for some moments before she bit into it. Then what Claudia told her about one of the Regents, Helena looked at her, clearly surprised. "Pete's mother is a Regent? And she went behind the other Regents' backs and helped you bring Steve back?" That...was two pieces of information Helena hadn't expected to learn. First of all, Pete's mother being a Regent was not something she would have anticipated at any point in time. But the part about a Regent doing something without the others being involved? that was completely unheard of. And it confused Helena completely. "Was she reprimanded for not consulting the other Regents? That really seems out of character for a Regent to just do something to that magnitude without the others being informed beforehand." She wasn't trying to downplay the fact Claudia had brought Steve back to life, it was just not what she expected any Regent to do.

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clauds
2012-10-03 02:47 pm UTC (link)

Claudia grinned, obviously pleased that she had managed to pick out tea that was acceptable to a Brit. She was rather sure that Steve was partially, if not all to thank for that. His daily tea tendency had rubbed off some knowledge onto her about tea. "Can I just get one really good birthday gift for you, then?"

"Pete's mother is a Regent. Jane Lattimer, Regent extraordinaire. Myka loves her - they had this whole 'escape a crumbling Regent building' adventure together and Jane was super kick-butt, but Pete didn't know his mom was a regent until after that. You can imagine that didn't go over well. Jane was - actually, one of the main ones involved in Sykes' case and taking Collodi's Bracelet away from him. They just didn't catch it before the 'seed of darkness' was planted in Sykes." Claudia explained with a small frown and a sigh. She figured that was about as detailed as she should bother getting. If H.G. wanted to know more, she would have to watch the TV show. But at least this way it all wouldn't be such of a shock when watching it.

"And - not that I know of, past a verbal reprimand and I got one too. Kosand was mad. Said he would take Steve off of the metronome if the downside of the artifact was proven to be too big or too notable, blah blah blah. We figured out the downside and then figured out how to get Steve off of the metronome, so he's back to a living, breathing, heart-beating mortal." Claudia rattled off with a shrug, only pausing for a sip of tea before admitting, "Jane is a good person. She kind of doesn't fit the Regent mold. Rebel and all. I think me chewing her out about the apathy shown over Steve's death, in some way, helped? She seemed to realize what an asset the Warehouse had lost."

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indelibleink
2012-10-04 05:59 am UTC (link)

"Well as long as it is a really good gift, I can accept that." Helena chuckled. Of course, Helena wasn't expecting anything to come through on the matter, she was just joking around to lighten her mood. Even though technically her birthday had just passed here in this world, but she wasn't counting that as she hadn't been here for it.

Though listening to Claudia tell her about Jane Lattimer was interesting. She arched an eyebrow that Myka liked the woman and filed that particular piece of information away for later use. Or rather later inquiring to Myka about. And really, Helena was glad Claudia didn't say anymore about Sykes. Helena didn't really want to know. After all, the man had killed her, and even if it was because of the result of the downside of an artifact, the fact still stood that she'd died because of him. So she was more than willing to drop that subject as she didn't want to get all rigid on Claudia if she could help it.

Then there was the mention of Kosan. Helena really didn't like him, but she tried not show anything outwardly. "Well, at least the Regents have someone lively and rebellious. Here I thought they were all a bunch of rigid prats." Okay so she couldn't keep all of her resentment towards them out of her voice, but she really held the Janus Coin against them. It only seemed to prove that they would stop at nothing to play their agents as they would. "I am glad that she helped you bring Steve back. I did feel terrible that I was unable to stop Sykes from killing him." She glanced at Claudia, feeling so very responsible for Steve's death even if she knew the riding crop would've been used on her anyway.

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clauds
2012-10-04 08:40 pm UTC (link)

Never mind if it was all joking around, it gave Claudia something to think about. Perhaps she would get H.G. a decent Christmas gift, or even make something. Could she make something that would impress H.G. Wells herself, let alone with the Farnsworth fuss she was dealing with? She'd have to wait and see; she needed to get an idea at all first before she could decide if it were feasible.

"I know if you could've saved him, you would've. And thanks." Claudia shrugged a little, smiling and adding, "We got everyone back, which means the Warehouse is at full strength going into dealing with - whatever all of this is with the evil. Hopefully it means we have a shot."

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