enjoymyatelier | VOICEMAIL

VOICEMAIL

"...well, I suppose it's about time I make one of these things...

Hello, you have reached the voicemail of Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi. I am unable to answer at this time due to some other business I have to attend to, but state your purpose and I'll get back to you whenever I find the time."

[I'm cool with any sort of one-on-one stuff going on here so long as it starts with a voicemail! Obviously we'll need to plan if our characters are in the same area or not if we want to switch to action, but you know!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, well, of course.

[...pause.

gotta be smooth...]

Perhaps you'd like to stay until autumn, then? Or at least leave and come back. Ecruteak is beyond stunning in autumn.

Autumn's not so far away, is it? I hope you're planning to paint the landscape again, at least once.

[Which doesn't actually answer the question, and she catches that after a moment.]

I'd like to see it in the autumn, yes. Very much.

Oh, of course. I'm hoping that it'll be even more splendid this year, really, and I'm glad to hear you're planning on seeing it.

[After a moment, he sends another message.]

But please, if you feel the need to leave before then, do so.

[...You know, she's almost tempted to answer that with something like "oh, I'm glad I have your permission" — except that then she doesn't, because the only explanation she has for this odd little exchange ultimately boils down to OH NO IT'S CUTE, and there's no sense in ruining that, now, is there?]

Will you let me watch you paint?

[he's not cute they're issues]

Now, do you think I'd ever deny you that?

I'd hate to accidentally distract you.

[CARMEN...]

[

you know what]

Well, I can think of worse things to be distracted by.

You're charming.

Let's talk more about it at the show, hmm?

[NAILED IT.]

Yes, let's. We should get there early, of course --- it's irritating to deal with crowds.

Do you have any preference about what we see? There's a traditional dance at the Kimono Girls' theater, a musical, and I think a standard drama?

What's the musical? I'll admit, I wouldn't object to something a little lighter, but I wouldn't want it to be something silly.

An adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. Or the Johto equivalent of it, I suppose; the summary seemed familiar enough.

Oh.

Well, I can't abide Dickens, so I'm going to have to ask about the drama.

Oh, you're not getting off the hook that easily.

What's your objection to Dickens?

Let's just say that if I'm going to be preached at by someone who's being paid by the word, I'd much rather have it interrupted by, say, dissertations on the Napoleonic War and the sewers of Paris than get it for pages straight.