InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I should go."

Claudia Donovan (clauds) wrote in makebelievelog,
@ 2012-12-02 23:29:00

Entry tags:

claudia donovan, h.g. wells

Who: Claudia Donovan, H.G. Wells
What: Shopping day out
When: Sunday, December 2, 2012 - morning (backdated)
Where: Entrance / trolly / town
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 / Potential for language
Status: Closed / Incomplete

Claudia really wasn't a morning person, but that was part of why she had bought herself a container of paper cups with snap-on travel lids and a travel mug. When she was going to work, she used the travel mug since she could bring it home again. When it was going to be a one-way trip, she used the paper cups and lid. That morning was a paper cup sort of morning. Still, come 9:00, Claudia was down at the entrance to meet H.G. as promised.

Leading up to Christmas, Claudia (herself) personally wanted a decent amount of time spent with friends and family. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that there would be no more Christmases with Leena around and... well, things would have to change along that route. And how would Artie react, how would he feel, when it came to celebrating the holidays? That was, of course, assuming Artie wouldn't be celebrating in Larp Lariati Bronze... have his memory erased with the Harman Rundfunk Helmet... be shrunk to doll-size and locked in Gottschalk fairy castle dollhouse... left in the Escher Vault without goggles... tossed into a vat of acid... or, worse, banned from the Warehouse and put in regular jail.

Claudia wasn't ready to be sans Artie. But, then again, Artie wasn't there and there wasn't anything she could do about him. Rather, she put on a smile and focused on what she could do. One such thing was pester H.G. Wells on occasion and, on the side, educate her in modern society. "Yo, what's up?" Claudia, rather deliberately, used slang when she spotted H.G.

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indelibleink
2012-12-10 10:59 am UTC (link)

Helena could not contain a smile upon hearing the thought of reading glasses for the Myka-dragon and books. That sounded just right for her bookworm of a girlfriend. And Helena also couldn't help but to love the idea that her dragon got a mini-mini TESLA. Knowing Claudia, she was fairly certain the mini-mini TESLA would not just be for show, that it would have some type of function to it. Seeing the cheerfulness in Claudia, Helena could only chuckle. "I think I should help you pick things out to prevent you being maimed, killed or given coal."

This whole conversation, even dating back to the one they'd had about takeout, and her subsequent conversations with Myka and Olive on the matter, was incredibly strange to her. After all, Helena had been so accustomed to how she celebrated Christmas. To hear how some people celebrated it in this time was a bit jarring, to say the least. But talk of Christmas ornaments did perk Helena up a bit. "I concur with this matter. And perhaps we could get some Christmas decorations? I would like to at the very least decorate my room with some. We can get some for yours as well. Possibly cover Steve's bedroom door with nothing but garland?" Helena smirked a bit, glancing at Claudia. It didn't take a genius to tell that Helena did have a great love for this holiday. She had given much care to the decorating of her house during the holiday season. "I would insist upon its addition as a snack. Though I think I will make two batches. One to be shared by everyone else, and one simply for myself. Really, I eat far too many chestnuts sometimes." At least they were a healthy snack.

Giving Claudia a soft smile, Helena brushed a hand through her hair. "Do not fret about it, darling. Much has happened between then and now." Helena would love to say she was able to forget she'd even been Bronzed, but that was so far from the truth. There were times it slipped to the back of her mind, but it was never there for long as something would always crop up to remind her that she was not from this time, and that she was so far removed from her family and friends that she'd had before. "Christmas is my favourite time of year. I love spending it with those I love." As many of her words tended to do, the last part carried a double meaning. It was as close to admitting out loud that she did miss her family and friends from England as she would get. After all, she wasn't about to ruin the mood by making Claudia think she cared about those lost to her more than she did about the family and friends she had here. The truth was that she did care, but she was being pointedly reminded that she'd left a great many people behind because of her descent into madness.

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clauds
2012-12-12 07:31 am UTC (link)

"You also have to help me figure out what to do for the hair. There's stuff to make dolls at craft stores, so there would be mini-wigs that could be glued or sewed on, but..." Claudia looked, and was, genuinely unsure of what she was about to say. "Should I get a straight haired brown wig for Myka or a curly haired one?"

"Yeah, ornaments and garland and - well, Christmas lights. I'll show you those. We should get some LED ones, at least for Steve and I." Claudia really hoped Steve didn't object to adding a tree into their shared living room. Or that Roan didn't try to pee on it.

Claudia didn't answer the remark that she shouldn't worry about it because, even if it was H.G. and not Steve, she didn't want to be called out for lying. She was going to worry about it because H.G. was family. Family worried about one another. She would have to think on it and figure out how to snitch to Myka. Maybe they could do a few things to cheer her up as a whole.

"We could use this as our start and go from here?" Claudia asked when the trolley pulled to a stop.

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indelibleink
2012-12-12 08:14 am UTC (link)

"Why not compromise and find a wig that's wavy? Even when straightened, Myka's hair does not stay that way very long before it turns wavy." It seemed a good compromise for Helena. It would have both elements of the natural curl Myka's hair had and also the straight aspect for when she straightened her hair. "And I can sew the wigs on, I would only need a needle and thread." Helena eyed Claudia momentarily, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Is sewing a skill that you do not have?"

"Christmas lights? What is LED?" So Helena wasn't exactly surprised there was something called Christmas lights these days, but the term LED wasn't familiar to her. Yet another thing Claudia needed to explain to her. Though Helena was eager to see how Christmas decorations had evolved from her own time.

The topic of being Bronzed wasn't exactly one that Helena took well to. While it had allowed her to meet Myka, Claudia, Pete and Artie, the events leading up to it were not ones Helena liked to think about. But truthfully, she thought about almost daily. This time of year wasn't exactly helping matters either because now she wouldn't have her brother there to nag her about having too many decorations. She wouldn't see her cousins, her other siblings, nieces, nephews. Somewhere in her mind, she did wonder what they had been led to believe had happened to her when she'd been Bronzed. Died in the line of duty? That was a cover story that would've come one hundred and ten years too soon.

"I do think that sounds like a plan." Helena smiled, the smile being more genuine now than the one she'd forced upon first greeting Claudia. But even with it being more genuine, there was still some undertone of melancholy within it. When the trolley stopped, she got out and glanced around to get her bearings. "Where shall we head first?"

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clauds
2012-12-13 10:29 am UTC (link)

Claudia looked sheepish only for the briefest of moments as she looked away from the almost smirking H.G. Wells. She did the occasional stitch on an item from a second-hand shop but she couldn't sew. Not really. "Uhm. I can make X's with really dark thread and make it look like stitches for a wound! I did that on one of my jackets. So - no, not at all."

"Light-emitting diode. The lights are semiconductor diodes that glow when a voltage is applied. They tend to have way cooler colors in those than regular ol' mini-light Christmas lights and they're excessively energy efficient in comparison." Claudia explained with a small shrug, moving to disembark the trolley once it came to a stop.

"Let's hit the toy store first to look for stuffed dragons? We can go from there." Claudia made a bit of a face as a thought hit her. "And you have to help me with what to get mini-you."

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indelibleink
2012-12-14 12:38 pm UTC (link)

Helena chuckled and shook her head at Claudia's response. "Well then it is a good thing I know how to sew. Despite being a progressive woman for my time and disliking anything domestic-related, there are a few skills that I am appreciative to have." Despite the time Helena had been born into, it was probably a bit shocking to the other agents what she could do in regards to domestic things since she hadn't had to exercise the skills until she'd ended up here.

So the mini lesson in the difference of lights was beyond fascinating to Helena. "Fascinating. So, in essence, the light-emitting diodes are more efficient in projecting the visible light color spectrum than a normal light would?" Because only these two could have such a discussion on the differences between lights and both completely understand and be completely enthralled by it.

"The toy store it shall be. I am also in need of a cat stuffed animal for Tracey." And she had a planned outfit for the cat to wear, so really, Helena could get Tracey's gift done and out of the way at the same time she was helping Claudia with the dragons. "Ah yes, uncertain of what she would like?" No doubt it was a bit strange to have a ten year old Helena who was only at the beginnings of delving into her imagination and the other interests that the elder Helena held.

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clauds
2012-12-15 12:51 am UTC (link)

Claudia flashed a very brief smile, looking down, as a stray thought of her blood brother passed her mind. He had learned to sew for the sake of putting Girl Scout badges on her sash, before he had ended up in his little interdimensional bubble. "Joshua was the Donovan who could sew. I have no idea if he kept up with that, all things considered."

"They were initially high cost to make, which stopped widespread use outside of Chistmas lights or little things like instrument panels or electronics, but some researchers at Purdue University on earth made a process for inexpensive silicon wafers being swapped in for sapphire-based tech... sooo, it ought to get around the same cost as CFLs and incandescent lightbulbs soon. They also last ten times as long as compact florescents and way longer than incandescents. They're kind of like the Warehouse Shelby Bulbs for the general populace. Plus, they don't have heat build-up, there's no mercury in them like the CFLs-" Claudia rattled on, much happier with the topic of light bulbs than of her missing brother. It wasn't that she loved Steve any less, but it was hard to think of a Christmas without Joshua and not even knowing how he was to boot. While she knew they would fix the plague-released-on-world issue, she didn't know if Joshua would be among those infected. She didn't know if they would save everyone and there were worries there. Not to mention her worry for Artie, but she really didn't want to start thinking on that. "CRI - color rendering index - has 100 as ideal. Closest to letting us perceive colors as we know them, right? CFLs hit around 80's to mid-80's with the top of the line; LED can hit 95."

"And I'm uncertain what thing to get her that wouldn't flash, buzz, make annoying noises and - yeah. I don't want to get her a book." Claudia admitted with a laugh, walking toward the toy store.

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indelibleink
2012-12-16 04:31 am UTC (link)

At the mention of Joshua, Helena looked at Claudia, knowing it must be hard for her to not have her brother here with her during the Christmas season. She empathized completely, not having her own siblings there either. As such, she reached out and set her hand on Claudia's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze, conveying that she understood the feeling of being separated from family she was close to. "I think it is a skill that once learned is never forgotten. He is probably still putting it to use in some fashion, even if it is only to mend clothing." Though at least for Claudia, at least her brother was alive. Helena's family were all long since dead, which tugged at her, but she tried to ignore it.

"Sapphire-based? As in the gemstone sapphire? Or is that just a term for some piece of technology that I am not yet familiar with?" It was a silly side question to ask, but Helena was more than curious on the matter. The difference in light bulbs was slightly lost on Helena. Electricity had been in its infancy in her time, and it was a topic she had yet to completely delve into in this time. But she was noting everything Claudia said on the matter. It all went into her memory for later use and reference when she needed it. Though at hearing that LED could hit 95 on the color rendering index, Helena blinked in surprise. "95? By Jove the things modern technology can replicate and achieve. It boggles the mind! No doubt LEDs are more vivid as well in the color they exude?"

Helena chuckled, walking along with Claudia. "I have a few ideas that take your criteria into account. We can look in the toy store and see if they have anything along the lines of what I am thinking of."

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clauds
2012-12-16 06:20 pm UTC (link)

"Sapphire substrates, or wafers. They're like jewels used in old watches. Idustrial purpose for a literal - jewel, in concept. There's ways to make artificial jewels, though I have no idea if they use sapphires. I know there's a way to do diamonds, but even setting up to do that is absurdly expensive. I'm sure you could find out more on your phone." Claudia said with a shrug, skipping over the topic of Joshua. She hadn't talked to anyone about that except H.G. so far and she really didn't know if she would. "And yup. So - all things considered, I say LEDs for trees."

"Then let's go!"

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