9th Opportunity :: Action/Video

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[Meyer doesn't always take a day off work. In fact, this is his first day off since the casino opened. That's why, on this lovely afternoon, he's wandering a little aimlessly now, cigarette in hand, looking for something to pass the time that isn't work.

For awhile, he wanders around the area by the fountain, occasionally stopping to sit down and write something down in a tiny spiral bound notebook, then standing up and wandering again. After awhile, though, he seems to get bored, and turns on the video to ask a question -- or rather, make a proposition.]

I'm going for drinks. Does anyone want to come?

[It may be a bit early in the day for drinking, but it's his day off -- this is what people do on their days off, right? With that question posed to the entire City, he strolls off in search of a bar that has relatively inexpensive and plentiful alcohol.]

Comments

[water_wine_wizard]

Sounds perfect. I'll see you there.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He'll be sitting at a table when she gets there, with less than no idea of what to expect.]

[water_wine_wizard]

[She comes in looking nice, but not like she's out for a date. More like a night on the town with friends. Spotting him she heads over and smiles.]

Hello! Good to see you in person. The devices are nice ... but they seem so impersonal sometimes.

[And she drops into a seat next to him.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I'm still not used to the devices, myself.

[And of course he wouldn't be, since the last time he checked, it had been 1923.]

[water_wine_wizard]

There's nothing like it where I'm from.

[And her world's technology is about Victorian era.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

The fact that they seem inclined to post accidental videos doesn't help, either.

[That's happened to him far too many times. At embarrassing moments, of course.]

[water_wine_wizard]

Do they really?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

They do. Almost entirely during humiliating curses, of course.

[water_wine_wizard]

Maybe I should keep mine in a drawer then.

[Because if she's going to humiliate herself, it's going to be intentional.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

You could. But then how would you look at the videos of other people humiliating themselves.

[Yes, he may or may not find those kind of amusing.]

[water_wine_wizard]

It is something to think about. I suppose I'll have to wait and see how unlucky I am. Though, I've always been fairly lucky in my life.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Apparently so.

[If her sexual propositions work as well as she claims they have, she's lucky indeed.]

What do you want to drink?

[water_wine_wizard]

[Compared to her brother she's been winning the lotto every night...]

Beer?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He'll order both of their drinks -- something considerably stronger for himself, of course -- and then turn back to her. This is one of those strange moments when he has very little idea what to say.]

[water_wine_wizard]

So. Tell me about yourself. You're the one who wanted to get to know us better.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

What do you want to know?

[You're talking to a very evasive person, unfortunately, Laruna.]

[water_wine_wizard]

Tell me anything you want. Lie to me if you wish. I have no idea about anything from your world. No preconceptions.

Are you married? How many wives do you have?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I'm not married. Zero wives.

[A pause.]

Are you? How many husbands do you have?

[water_wine_wizard]

[She laughs. Fair question in turn.]

No. I'm not married, nor do I ever intend to be. No wives or husbands for me. I'll leave that one to my brother.

Do you have siblings?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I have a younger brother. Is yours older or younger?

[He can do this questions thing. That's easier.]

[water_wine_wizard]

I have two. An older brother. He's five years older than I am. And a younger one. He's twenty minutes younger.

[She pauses.]

Sort of a day younger as well. He was born after midnight.

Do you have any sisters?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

No, it's just me and my brother. Do you?

[He assumes she doesn't, or she would have mentioned them, but you never know.]

[water_wine_wizard]

No. Alec is the baby.

[She thinks for a moment, ponders asking about his parents but decides she doesn't want to talk about her own so ...]

What sort of place did you grow up in?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I was born in Russia. I moved to New York when I was nine.

[Of course, if she's not from the same world he is, those probably aren't good points of reference.]

I've always lived in big cities. I prefer New York, though. Where did you grow up?

[water_wine_wizard]

[Not at all. But she knows what cities are, at least.]

I grew up in a city as well. It's up in the mountains. I never even saw large flat lands until I was thirteen. I couldn't believe the horizon existed when I first saw it. Nor the ocean.