Patchwork Universe

Jones · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 4:59 pm Post subject: Steaks and ale

Jones was still sitting with Arnora, but a woman dressed in a plain blue dress and a white apron came up to Larkin's table.

"What would you like, sir?" she asked.

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 60 Location: The Slums

Larkin made a very fake sounding laugh and looking up at the woman said "Yer not gonna believe this right, but I have recently fell in two oceans an as such Ive got no money."

Looking more than a little nervous he continued. "There wouldn't be any chance of gettin extended any credit or somethin, cos Im kinda hungry an like I said lost all me money in an ocean." Looking up at the woman he grinned and tried to look hopeful.

Trubshawe · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:49 pm Post subject:

Trubshawe was none too subtly eavesdropping from a few tables away, and his ears pricked up at the sound of the young man's predicament. A friend in need was a friend indeed, and it might be tactically advantageous to get even the scruffiest specimen from this parade of eccentrics on his side. He leaned over and addressed the other table.

"I'm sure there won't be any need for that," he said silkily. "I believe I have enough here to stand the gentleman a drink."

He counted out a few denarii from his purse, unable to stop himself from wincing as he did so. "Will that cover it? Get him a lemonade, or whatever else he wants."

Leering benevolently from beneath his little moustache, he pressed forward with the conversation. "Think nothing of it, lad. It's the least I can do after my rudeness earlier. I'm new in these parts, and still apt to startle at each new surprise that presents itself. To have impugned your character in the way I did - unforgivable! I'm sure you're a fine upstanding *pillar* of the community..."

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 60 Location: The Slums

Larkin looked at the man for a few seconds, almost as if studying him. As he did so he swept away the leaflets and pocketed them. Taking an almost instant dislike to this leering, slimy, eavesdroppin man he said "Your covering me are yer?" with a slight nod of the head towards him. Then with a grin he turned to the plainly dressed woman and said "Got any steaks? Like big ones, only this guys coverin me so I'm alright for it."

Turning back to the man he said "Im sorry what did yer say? Only I stopped listenin after the whole 'Get him a lemonade, or whatever else he wants part.' ''

Trubshawe · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:25 pm Post subject:

Unable to miss the insolent tenor of Quickgrip's reply, Trubshawe flushed a rich burgundy colour. "Why you -!" he began, and for an instant looked certain to fling over the table and wrap his fingers round the other man's throat.

But with a visible effort he calmed himself, and the rest of his outburst tailed off into a strangulated growl, that he pretended by gestures was the result of his beer going down the wrong way. When he could speak again he continued:

"Nothing, nothing... of any importance... young sir. I merely wondered whether you (like myself) were a newcomer to these parts, and whether we could compare the manners of our arrival, if so."

Jones · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 1:54 pm Post subject:

Looking from one customer to the other uncertainly the young woman said placatingly. "The roast boar is done if you'd like some of that, sirs. And this bread here.." she gestured at the breadbaskets on each of the trestle tables "that's free to our guests."

Gaining confidence, she finished. "I'll ask my father about starting a tab, and now I'll get your lemonade, sir."

She backed away quickly, in case an altercation was about to develop.

[OOC NOTE: This thread split from the main public bar thread for clarity. Please continue the current conversation in this thread or move back to the main thread for interactions with the characters there.]

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 60 Location: The Slums

Larkin gave the woman a quick grin while she backed away before turning back to Trubshawe with genuine interest. He had never met a man who was so easily infuriated. Wondering how far he could be pushed before completely snapping Larkin said "I'm just as new to this patch as you. But I do know a little bit about the place in general. Anythin that yer wanna know?"

Laughing on the inside but keeping his tone pleasant, he spat on his hand and held it out saying "Names Larkin Quickgrip by the way. In case yer didn't overhear it."

Trubshawe · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 1:23 pm Post subject:

Trubshawe leaned forward in obvious interest.

"A little bit about the place in general is exactly what I want to know! Nothing about recent events makes sense, nothing at all. There we all were, working hard at our appointed tasks at the Zoo, when all of a sudden I was told of a great mist that had sprung up to encircle us. Obviously I ordered my Assistant Zookeepers to plunge into this unprecedented climatological phenomenon to find out what was going on. But all three of the shiftless wretches returned claiming themselves incapable of such a simple task. Obviously I docked their salaries, threatened them with floggings, but to no avail. In the end I had to fling them bodily to three of the points of the compass: sometimes you just have to take a firm hand with Assistant Zookeepers.

"I myself ventured to the south, and what do I find but a mysterious public house that certainly hadn't existed in the vicinity of my zoo yesterday, populated by grotesquely dressed eccentrics... present company excluded, of course. What am I supposed to make of it all? If you can shed any light on any of it, Mister Quickgrip, I'll be most beholden to you, most beholden indeed."

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 60 Location: The Slums

Larkin scratched the back of his neck a little uneasily. He had the conflicting emotions of wanting to annoy the man and giving the guy a hand in this new place. In the end Larkins 'nice guy' won and he said "Well I aint sure if Im the right guy ter tell yer but it looks like you an yer zoo have been taken from yer universe and put into this one."

Picking up a chunk of bread and wripping it into pieces he said "Dont ask me how or why cos I dont know. May wanna ask someone who knows more about it first if yer wanna know more, but thats about the size of it."

Popping some of the bread into his mouth and swallowing he said "By the way you sound like yer a complete git to yer assistants, an yer still aint told me yer name."

Trubshawe · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:03 am Post subject:

"Well, if you had to oversee such a shiftless and slovenly crew your own heart might harden too, Mr Quickgrip. My name is Trubshawe. Here is my flyer. In fact, take a handful, and if you should meet anyone else on your travels interested in their bestiological education or just a good day out feel free to pass one on."

Trubshawe hands Larkin a small sheaf of gaudy flyers offering elephants, monkeys, sealions and much much more for 6d (4d concessions). As an afterthought he places a small pile of flyers on several nearby tables.

"Just a stone's throw to the north of here, through the mists," he clarifies. "Now, taken from my universe you say? Are you sure? Why if I may ask would anyone want to do that to a zoo, even one as excellent as my own?"

Larkin Quickgrip · Good Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Posts: 60 Location: The Slums

Larkin shrugged and pocketed the flyers in his coat with the other leaflets he had found. Every now and then he would glance over at the door Jane had vanished through with a thoughtful expression before quickly looking back.

"I'm sure yeah. Same thing happened to a part of my city called the Slums. Ive got no idea where that is now an Ive got no flyers for yer either. An like I said Ive got no idea why either, Ive only seen a few chunks of land so far." Grimacing he added "Two of those had bloody great seas innem."

With a thoughtful expression he continued "Can I just say yer seem quite relaxed bout this. Don't it worry yer that yer zoo may already have moved, or yer may never see yer own world again?"

Trubshawe · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2004 12:49 pm Post subject:

"Egad!" cried Trubshawe. "So you think that the process which brought me here might be elastic? That any moment the zoo could snap back to where it came? And I might be stranded in this mere barnyard forever, unable to regain the greatest collection of floral and faunal phenomena ever assembled?"

He sprang to his feet, knocking over his chair with a loud clatter in the process. "Very nice to meet you, Mr Quickgrip. If you ever happen to be in the vicinity of my zoo, remember that entrance is a very reasonable 4d. But for now I must dash!"

And he bolted for the door as though his trousers were on fire.

[Edited by GMs to add... OOC NOTE: This thread now concluded. Conversation resumes in the main Public Bar thread.]