Patchwork Universe

Jones · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:50 am Post subject: Only a Building

[ooc: From Juniper School 'The Black Walker']

"Oh, it's only a building," Jane Jones said out loud as she came through the mists.

Her path lay northwards and she could see a way around the massive structure that would take her that way. But curiosity overcame her. The recent place she'd visited had been like that of the floating island without the novelty of that prominent feature. However in this place she could see nothing through the walls and that made her want to look.

Cautiously she approached what seemed to be an entrance and stepped inside.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

The enormous wood-and-glass doors whooshed closed with no sound but with a sensation of pressure. In front of Jane was a gigantic room, larger than any of the barns back at home, with suggestions of more beyond. The room was filled with a haphazard assortment of objects, from the two huge machines dangling overhead to cases full of tiny machines, furniture, paintings, dresses and swords. Almost nothing seemed to belong to the same time and place as whatever was a foot away from it.

Jane saw a room made almost entirely of glass to her right, filled with empty hatstands.

A few paces in front of Jane was a small building or free-standing room on which was painted:
Admission ~
Adults and Children 12 and over ~ 10¢
Students and Children under 12 ~ 5¢
School Groups ~ 3¢/student
Teachers and Babes in Arms ~ no charge

Above the sign was the bland face of a woman who was wordlessly watching Jane.

Jones · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 5:56 pm Post subject:

Jane approached boldly and eyed the woman in her little inside outhouse.

"What is this place?" she asked, keeping a firm grip on the hilt of her sword. "Who's in charge here?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

"Surely you're joking, Miss!" The woman waited for the laughing admission from Jane that she had been found out but it never came. "It's the Museum, Miss. The Museum. Dr. Odom's the Curator General, 'cept he's not here just now. He went outside with a noisy little doorman and a woman dressed like a boy." With these last words the woman eyed Jane's outfit.

Jones · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:15 pm Post subject:

"Doctor Odom," Jane thought over the events of the past few days. "No. Never heard of him."

She thought further. This place looked like some kind of treasure chamber or a very esoteric shop, admittedly one belonging to someone with strange taste in items.

"So this is the museum, then." She looked about. "Are the things for sale? How many can I buy for 'ten cee'."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

The woman seemed to struggle for breath. She certainly struggled for words.

"Museum --" she finally gasped. After a little while she was able to force out, "You don't know what the Museum is, do you Miss?"

Jones · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:16 pm Post subject:

"The name's Jane," Jane said. "Jane Scar Slice Jones."

"And no, I don't know what a museum is... Do you know what an ice snaike is? Or a ogre? Or a sethron?"

She sneered, contemptuously.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

Jane's manner put the woman on more familiar ground. She was used to loudmouthed teens wandering in from the city and causing trouble.

"I most certainly do know what an ogre is, Miss, as almost every culture has something like them. As to the others, I can make a fair guess at what the first one is and, although I suppose from your manner that the third is some sort of famously dangerous monster, if it turned out to be a building I should hope that I knew one if I was standing in it."

She stood straighter and looked down her nose at Jane.

"Now, Miss, if you would like to pay your admission I shall summon a Guide suitable to your interests."

Jones · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:28 am Post subject:

Jane looked around and sniffed.

"Naaah, I don't think I'll bother," she said. "It doesn't look all that interesting and besides..."

She paused, shaping the insult for the benefit of her audience.

"... we've got a bigger one back home."

Turning on her heel, she went back out the door while smirking to herself.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

No satisfying squawks of outrage followed her. What might have been shocking from an ignorant farm girl clearly was not from a delinquent intent on a wind-up.

Jones · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 3:30 pm Post subject:

Sniggering to herself Jane left the building and began to skirt around the edges towards the north.

It was unnerving being so close to the mists. The walls were so close that half the time she was very nearly walking in the mist and it was strange to feel the height of the museum wall stretching up to her left while catching glimpses of the open expanse of the fields to her right.

It was with a sigh of relief that she finally reached the end of the wall. This time she didn't hesitate at all as she strode through the mist into the lands ahead.

[ooc: Jane moves to the Zoo 'If the price is right']