@midnightespresso | text

[nerine]

Different worlds? Okay. Still, I gotta see what I'm working with here since the last time I was in a place with people from whatever universe was at 1 AM at the coffee shop and everyone had the grand idea to suddenly order Neapolitan frappuccinos. So here's how I'm going to narrow down and categorize all of you for my sake.

First off, how do you pronounce GIF? With a 'g' or a 'j'

Answer carefully 😉😉😉

(and if you don't get it, don't worry about it, you just get sorted into the other category)

Comments

[nerine]

I prefer to be liked! Do you want to be liked or do you want to be taken seriously? Or both. You know that both are possible right?

[Weir is an odd duck to Monts. No one is going to understand anyone's whole deal after a second meeting, maybe even after a third. Or more than that.

But she doesn't find herself minding too much.]

Likewise though. Sounds fair enough to me. But you'll find that if I actually like a person, I'm much more angelic.

[fossick]

[And Weir is not going to go out of his way to be liked. He doesn't care quite that much after so freshly kidnapped from his world. He only wants answers; and to survive whatever is undoubtedly coming their way.]

I cannot control what people truly think of me, nor do I want to spend the effort wringing my hands over it. Not now. It's not as though I'm going about threatening everyone, besides.

[He's kept to himself, mostly.]

Good on those who earn your more "angelic" side. [he doesn't care!!]

[nerine]

Alright, I get it, Mr. Tough Guy.

[Monts says this as if she's acquiescing to his general attitude and behavior.]

And I'm just telling you ahead of time that I won't be taste-testing medicine for you. However, you can taste-test my coffee drinks when the time comes.

[fossick]

["When the time comes" sounds like a threat.]

Is that where you're going to focus your attention? On coffee?

[nerine]

Some caffeine at the start of a new day should help a little with the exploration of the city. Bit of a motivator is all.

Also, I don't want my skills to get rusty.

[fossick]

Fine. I won't turn it down as long as you don't give me anything too experimental.

[Says the guy who keeps trying to get her to try weird stuff in jars.]

[nerine]

[That makes her laugh a little.]

We'll see. There are drinks that are normal to me but it might be out there for you. As long as you're willing to give it shot, you'll be fine.

[fossick]

Just don’t sling poison my way. You’ll hear my honest opinion, regardless.

[Wry. He does not expect her to actually poison him—though who knows at this rate, really—but he sounds equally unworried and also a bit sardonic.]

Are you setting up shop somewhere, then?

[nerine]

I guess I could. It feels weird not to have a work routine otherwise.

[She hums thoughtfully.

I'll have to adjust the hours too. I'm more accustomed to working late at night.

[fossick]

Supposing you could commandeer the chophouse we found.

[Though it seems hilariously large for just one person who seeks to serve only variations of coffee.]

There was plenty to work with.

[nerine]

Chophouse? Oh, the steakhouse.

[Funny; she likes it when there are different names for things she's familiar with.]

That's a little too big to work in. I don't need all that space so I think I'll just stick with the coziest coffee shop I can find.

[fossick]

[Chophouse, steakhouse. Tomato, tomahto.]

I'm sure you'll be more than eager to let me know where you end up settling.

[nerine]

You'll have the honor of being the first to know. In fact, I'll make sure to take a picture so you can find whatever corner I claim.

Oh! You should totally learn how to take pictures. It's so easy and I think you'll at least have a fun time figuring out how it works!

[Cause Weir... Fun... It goes together.......]

[fossick]

[Yes, he's a veritable bundle of laughs.]

Pictures? Something else this block-device can do, I assume.

[He means his phone, of course.]

[nerine]

Yeah! Text, audio, video, images... These things are essential for everyday life at least where I'm from.

I take a lot of pictures actually. Nothing professional, but I like having a lot of them since it's like keeping a bunch of memories on hand.

[fossick]

[He's already aware of the audio option, of course, given that he’s using it right now. And the rest are not so surprising, now that he thinks of how everyone is spamming utilizing the “network” so soon after their arrival. Video options. Written messages, delivered instantaneously. Always connected with each other.

It sounds equal parts convenient and utterly, utterly terrible.]

It creates a still image, no? And what are you to do with them after you “take” a picture?

[Is that… the end goal? That they just exist on this device forever?]

[nerine]

Well. Like I said, it's for the memories. Sentimental value. And if you have the know-how, you can get the pictures printed and put on the wall, like art.

And sometimes you never know when a picture can be useful. It's a glimpse of the past and if you happen to forget something, an image in physical form or at least on the screen works well as a frame of reference.

[He's asking good questions. It's making Monts think of the possibilities especially when...]

If we take pictures around the city, we could start figuring out if anything is out of place or suspicious.

[fossick]

[Ah, see, now she's speaking his language. Sentimentality does not appeal to him on the surface level, and certainly not so soon after being pulled into a strange new world, in an eerie, empty city.

But as a device to aid in investigating and recording clues? That's another matter entirely. Weir's mind is already churning in that direction, and it's reassuring to hear that she's giving it some thought, too.

Maybe she has a brain in that head, after all.]

As you said, a "frame of reference." If it can truly capture a single moment in time to the degree you seem to imply, then it's an indispensable tool.

[Oh, he could have taken a picture of the city map he saw in the station...]

[nerine]

And that's why most devices have it as a basic function.

[Monts straddles the line of playing dumb and letting things slip her mind naturally. Still playing glib doesn't do her favors in some circumstances.]

Don't get me started on videos. That's super useful too but only if there's a lot going on.

[fossick]

[Video, the function he's seen on this network a few times already. The ability to play back an event -- a moving picture, if you will.

That would be handy should they find anything worth to catalog.]

Show me, then.

[please and thank you-- He could manage it on his own in time, he's willful and problem-solving enough for it, but if she's willing? Why waste the time.]

[nerine]

Well, you're a raring to go. Let's set aside some time later this week if nothing too significant happens.

[Because who knows what's going to happen? The possibilities are endless.]

[fossick]

I want to use what's available to me as soon as possible. I'm already at a disadvantage in some ways.

[Because there appear to be a whole array of individuals who are more accustomed to this level of technology than he is. And being at a disadvantage is not something that Weir takes lightly, not in a situation like this one.]

You know how to reach me.