argentmarteau | Another Day, Another Abomination of Science

[Clasping a hand on her shoulder.]

Well, then. Welcome to the team.

[Well, he gets a mock-salute before she blinks and looks over his shoulder at something.]

...I wonder if it got my clothes as well.

[That could be a problem, given how singed hers are.]

...You should probably check that. I imagine the guys can help you come up with something in our style, but.

[He kind of blinks.]

Maybe that wouldn't work so well for you.

How bad is it that you're saying that?

[Wandering over to the wardrobe and opening it to her...brand new collection of bling.]

...Well, then.

...Well it's better than your new found chainmail bikini. It just might be a little more rough than you're used to, is all.

[He rolls his neck.]

I mean, it's not like we don't have women in the gang, or anything. We can find you something.

I'm categorically banning all miniskirts unless you've the proper stockings to go with it. If I'm going to be wearing something ridiculous, it should at least look good, just saying.

[Eiriol, you worry us.]

There's no point staying here, then. The outer wards will keep this from collapsing for at least a week.

Argue it with whoever gets your uniform put together.

[Turning for the door, then!]

C'mon, then. Let me show you where you'll be staying, then.

[And if she follows him, it's... well, it's in one of the scarier parts of the island and it looks like a rundown series of apartment blocks.]

[Well, she's following...and about halfway there starts scribbling in a notebook while she walks. He may want to consider if bringing a mad alchemist down here was the best idea he's ever had.]

[Well, once she gets inside, through the doors that lock behind them, then unlock in front after verification, she will find... that apartment block has basically been gutted and turned into it's own bustling little set of buildings, in brief. There's no alchemy lab anywhere near on the level she's used to, but there is a rudimentary one, as is there a forge, machine shops, cloth and leatherworking stations... the list goes on. It looks like the upper floors are still residential, though.]

Welcome to the best kept secret on the island.

...My, my.

[She puts away the notepad and looks around. If he's paying attention, he might notice that calculating look that means she's already mapping out work in her head.]

How long has this been here?

It was started before I found it, but when the gang started putting itself together, we really started work here. The inside of the building's kept up nicer than most the dorms, we just make sure the building looks like hell.

[He laughs.]

The others know who you are. Just tell them whatever you need is on my tab, okay?

'Know who I am'? [Giving him a look that says she's curious what exactly they know, but she shrugs and goes wandering off for clothes.

and lasts a good ten minutes before getting in a discussion with someone about how to expand the inner space without drawing attention.]

[Well, he's not waiting around for that. The gang either knows her from school, since they're mostly students, or as "that scientist the boss keeps talking to" which is innocuous enough.]

[He won't be waiting for her where she left him, but if she asks around he apparently keeps audience on one of the top floors, and true enough, that's where he can be found, sitting in what seems almost like an old-style court.]

[Well, she does eventually find him, and someone apparently had what counts for traditional selkie wear, because it's a thin, floor-length gauzy dress that is clearly made to come off easy, along with the bags she's carrying, and she stops at one end of the hall and checks to see just how many people are there.

...given her expression, someone probably insisted on the dress. Probably just because there was an opportunity to force someone into it, we're guessing.]

That's a different look, Maxwell.

[He looks back and forth, among those assembled.]

This is Maxwell, she's staying with us for the time being. She pledged her loyalty, so, an insult to her is an insult to me. Got it?

[...Well that sends some curiously murmurs through the crowd and a few more looks her way.]

I said, "Got it?!"

[And that gets the adamant yes sir he was looking for.]

They were kind of insistent. [Well, she's noticing that, and has her head tilted to one side, almost curious, but since he asked, she's not going to question him about that. Yet.

Instead, she starts wandering over to that end of the hall and waits rather patiently for things to clear out, if by patient we mean 'playing with the bittycorn'.]

[Well, it does clear out relatively fast after that, since it turns out Hadrian is actually very good with administrating to his gang. Really the name is very appropriate in a lot of ways.]

It looks good on you.

Hmm. [Stroking her chin.]

So I'm curious. Is there normally that kind of reaction to a new member, or am I special?

New members swear loyalty to those who recruit them, and thus by proxy who their new leader swore to, and upward. For most of our current batch, that means between give and seven rungs on the ladder. I don't bring in people much myself anymore.

I see...[She stands up from the bittycorn and watches him, curiously.]

Am I allowed to wonder why you have? I wouldn't have thought I'd made enough of an impression to be asked twice, much less so if you asking is that uncommon an occurrence.

One of the brightest minds on the island is suddenly out of house and home and I just so happen to run a gang. It's logical.

[kicking his legs up on the table.]

Also, what can I say? I like you way better than most the people on this island. I wanted to offer a hand to help, you know.

...[Wow, he actually made her blush.]

You're the first person in six years to bother with any of that, you know.

I'm the first person in six years to have any kind of taste or think for half a second? Now, that's a real shock.

[He'll just sit there and keep his hands crossed behind his head.]

No, that's not what I meant. But...most people don't care what happens to me beyond superficial courtesy. I haven't had someone be worried about my well-being since I came here.

...[She looks down at the ground because suddenly her toes are fascinating.] You wanted to know why what you said mattered so much. I don't really know why it's like this, but...I might as well be honest.

[He'll crack his eye open again to look at her, when she says that.]

So go ahead and say it. I'm not going to laugh at you, Maxwell.

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