self_composed | plotting to unnerve her

Bella finds Milliways in the moon palace instead of one of her balconies.

"Huh," she says aloud.

Then, to Alice, Libby, Elena, and Mary, and Lazarus except he autoreplies with a busy message, [Hey folks, Moonstone Palace grew a bar that I don't remember putting in, come check it out.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

self_composed

It isn't.

But she keeps up the read.

And orders a milkshake and looks for someone else to pass the time with, because she doesn't think she can read Alice in Milliways if she goes home.

From:

edgeofyourseat

She can have fun reading a hell of a lot of very physical, somewhat violent makeouts, then, because that's what they get up to. At least at first.

Meanwhile, perhaps that tastefully dressed businesswoman who is just sitting down at the bar and ordering a protein shake would be interesting to talk to.

Edited Date: 2013-01-17 05:32 pm (UTC)

From:

self_composed

Bella plops down next to her. "Hi. I'm bored. Who're you and where are you from?"

From:

edgeofyourseat

"Roberta," she says. "Earth, 2008. Hello, Bored."

From:

self_composed

"Bella, not Bored. Mars, 2005," Bella says. "Nice to meet you."

From:

edgeofyourseat

"Mars. That's new," says Roberta. "Native, or immigrant?"

From:

self_composed

"Colonizer-sorceress-empress," says Bella.

From:

edgeofyourseat

Roberta's eyebrows lift. "That's definitely new. I'm not sure whether to congratulate you, or sidle away."

Edited Date: 2013-01-17 05:38 pm (UTC)

From:

self_composed

"I am a benevolent sorceress-empress," says Bella. "I'm just looking for a way to pass the time while my boyfriend makes out with his psychotic alternate self upstairs."

From:

edgeofyourseat

(Was that a slight flinch at 'psychotic'? Well, it's reasonable for it to have been.)

"That sounds... trying," says Roberta. "The boyfriend part, not the benevolence part. The benevolence is reassuring."

Upstairs, they are in the process of shifting from making out to things involving fewer clothes and more sharp objects. Alice is having lots of fun. So is the Joker.

From:

self_composed

"I'm a little concerned about leaving him alone with that guy, who is basically my boyfriend with a couple extra decades and not enough friends in high school and a tendency to commit terrorism. But I can read my boyfriend's mind and he's having fun. He has weird tastes."

From:

edgeofyourseat

Terrorism definitely makes her wince. But then, that is a very natural reaction.

"Good for your boyfriend?" she hazards, looking mildly unsettled.

From:

self_composed

"I suppose. When I met my alternate all we did was discuss trade agreements between empires - hers involves more vampires, less Mars, but still, respectable - but to each their own. You ever met one of you in here?"

From:

edgeofyourseat

"I haven't," she says. And, smiling: "If I did, I don't think it would involve making out or negotiating trade agreements."

Edited Date: 2013-01-17 07:09 pm (UTC)

From:

self_composed

"What would it be, then?"

From:

edgeofyourseat

"You know, I really have no idea. But I don't have an empire and I'm not interested in making out with myself, so..."

From:

self_composed

"Well, yes, those would be the reasons not to go my route or my boyfriend's," snorts Bella. "What do you do?"

From:

edgeofyourseat

"I manage the family business," she says. "In theory. In practice, other people do most of the managing."

From:

self_composed

"And you... stand around looking important? Sit in a corner office and stamp your signature on things? Golf?"

From:

edgeofyourseat

"How did you guess?"

From:

self_composed

"I'm running on pure stereotype. But come on, this is making you sound boring, and I didn't think boring people were invited in here."

From:

edgeofyourseat

"I know defining people by their careers is a longstanding American tradition, but I'd hope the Martian empire would be a little more enlightened," says Roberta.