(no subject)

[un_real_boy]

The door opens.

The boy on the other side -- dressed in simple cotton kurta pyjamas  -- stares for a moment and then shuts it very quickly.



The door opens.

The boy on the other side -- now in a blazer and carefully pressed trousers -- blinks, peers around the edge, and studies the bar for a minute before closing the door slowly and quietly.



The door opens.

The boy on the other side jerks to a momentary halt, throws a wary glance over his shoulder, and slips into the bar. He closes the door behind him, quietly, then reconsiders and cracks it open again to peek out. Apparently satisfied with what he sees, he shuts it and turns back to the bar with a curious, intent look on his face.

In precise, slightly accented English -- "Where is this, please?"

Comments

[jokerswildwest.livejournal.com]

Alex notices the kid walk in the bar, and he turns in his chair from where he's sitting near the door.

"It's kind of tricky to explain. You may want to sit down." He offers a smile and a motion at a chair at his table.

[un_real_boy]

Nirupam frowns slightly, glancing towards him.

"Is it particularly shocking?" he asks, coming over and standing by the chair.

[jokerswildwest.livejournal.com]

"Depends on what you're used to. It's a bar. Or pub, I guess you'd call it. At the end of the universe."

Alex looks up at him.

"Time doesn't pass outside, though, so when you go back you'll go right where you were when you walked in."

[un_real_boy]

The first part makes him blink, surprised.

The second brings the frown right back.

"Oh. It doesn't? How awkward."

[jokerswildwest.livejournal.com]

"Awkward, yeah, but it does help if you need to get a break."

He offers a hand.

"Alex West. This is Milliways Bar."

[un_real_boy]

He smiles slightly.

"I am grateful for it, at the moment." Shaking the proffered hand -- "Nirupam Singh. How do you do, Mr. West. This bar is really at the end of the universe?"

[walksthebounds]

"'sapuh," offers a boy nearby, speaking through a mouthful of food.

He swallows, and repeats, more clearly, "Pub. Bar. Whichever you like."

[un_real_boy]

Nirupam nods, thoughtfully.

"I can see that. But why does it appear behind doors where there should be something else? This is the third time this year."

[walksthebounds]

"You stumbled across a Bound between worlds and you got here."

Jamie waves a piece of bread grandly. "Happens all the time hereabouts, it seems. This place is awful queer, as far as that goes - it seems to be hooked up to a whole lot of different ones. Worlds, I mean. But the food's all right and people seem to get back where they're from in the end."

This last part, he figures, will be the most important for most people.

[un_real_boy]

That curious look in his eyes just got brighter.

"I see. Magic."

The word sounds . . . unpracticed.

"What do you mean by a Bound?"

[walksthebounds]

"If you like," says Jamie, amiably enough.

Magic isn't something Jamie thinks about much. It's the way the worlds work, and worlds work different ways; that's all. But it's as good a term as anything else.

"A Bound's a place you can get from one world to another. Most worlds they don't know about them - even that there are other worlds, come to that." He shrugs. "But everyone seems to know about it here."

[un_real_boy]

"I don't think we know about them in mine. How many worlds are there?"

[walksthebounds]

Jamie raises his eyebrows. "More than I've been to, anyways. You want to take a stab at counting 'em all, be my guest, but don't expect to be Home in time for tea."

[un_real_boy]

"And this place connects to them? Like a -- a rail station."

[walksthebounds]

Jamie considers this analogy, and then, suddenly, grins.

"A rail station - I like that. Something like. Only a lot less ordered and civilized. Like someone threw you off a train you didn't even know you were on, for most."

[gothymcgoth.livejournal.com]

((OOC:OMIGOD, OMIGOD! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Witch Week is one of my favoritest books EVAR! So much love!))

Molly glances up as the door open several times, smiling to herself. She smoothes back her blond white hair and smiles at the boy. "This is Milliways."

[un_real_boy]

Nirupam blinks at her.

Quite a bit.

Sounding it out -- "Milliways. And what is Milliways?"

[gothymcgoth.livejournal.com]

"It's a bar." She points out the bar itself. "See? It is also at the end of time."

[un_real_boy]

"I had noticed the -- the end of time?" he repeats, startled.

[gothymcgoth.livejournal.com]

"The end of time, yes." She nods her head ina greement, smiling on the inside. She loves this bit. "Have you looked out the Window?" Pointing up to it.

[un_real_boy]

"No . . ."

He follows her finger.





"Ah. What--" He swallows. "What is that?"

[gothymcgoth.livejournal.com]

"The end of time." She pats him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we are protected in here. There's a sort of, uhm, magical shielding, keeps us in a permanent loop."

[un_real_boy]

"Magic."

The word sounds like he only learned it recently.

"All right."

It takes a clear effort to look away from the Window and back to her. "Time is destroyed, out there, and recreated to be destroyed again?"

[un_real_boy]

[ooc: I am loving this thread, but I really need to sleep. Slowtime?]

[gothymcgoth.livejournal.com]

((sure thing!))