(no subject)

[missmarybennet]

[OOM: There's a strange sort of sting in being denied something you don't even want.]

Mary had been heading to her bedroom, but the fact that the door has deposited her into Milliways only slows her down for the barest instant. Mary marches briskly across the bar, looking neither right nor left, hoping not to catch the eye of anyone she knows. Or anyone she does not know.

If ever a storm cloud looked as if it were about to cry, it would look like Mary Bennet.

She’s really not sure what feels worse. That Mr. Collins (who even Mary would acknowledge is no particular prize, if forced to be honest) would not even spare her a second glance, much less serious consideration. Or the knowledge that she had half-way wanted him to. Because Mary knows that if Mr. Collins had asked her to marry him, she would have said yes. He was as acceptable as any other, she would have been securely wed, and been a heroine to her family. What possible reason would there be for her to refuse?

But no one would ever think to ask her.

Without pause, Mary goes directly outside, heads straight down to the lake, and plomps herself down on the first largish rock, determined to just sit and be miserable for a while.

Comments

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat just woke up a bit ago, and he is taking a walk by the lake to get his bearings. He doesn't have anything important planned for today, but when you are as driven as Karkat, you always needs your wits about you.

Eh, not really. But he would say so.

He is startled to run across a human girl on the verge of crying out here; startled into silence and awkwardness. He really has no idea what to say.

(His romance detective instincts may be tingling, but he's not really paying attention.)

[missmarybennet]

Mary has been sitting with her knees pulled up, arms wrapped around them. Not at all proper, but very reflective of her mood.

But at some point she realizes that she is being observed.

Mary quickly sits up, a bit more in a ladylike fashion, and with a quick swipe of a sleeve over her eyes, attempts to adopt the attitude of one who is simply enjoying the lake panorama.

"Hello. Lovely evening."

[crabbycustomer]

"...not really, it's cold as shit." But it's less argumentative and personal than normal; let it not be said that Karkat has NO tact at all.

At least she didn't call him a demon and start shooting at him. That set a new bar for lakeside conversations she would be hard-pressed to limbo under.

"it's warmer over there, the sandy part," he adds, in actual attempt to be helpful.

[missmarybennet]

Mary blinks.

"There's hardly call for that kind of language."

Even in the midst of a turbulent emotional state, Mary can lecture on propriety. But it doesn't come out nearly as sharply as it might have on a normal day.

It's issued rather dully, in point of fact.

"It might be warmer. But I don't care to get sand all over myself."

Besides, being cold is better for having a good wallow.

[crabbycustomer]

"there is always call for that kind of language, it is clear and direct and doesn't leave any question about how you feel about things. you know now exactly how cold I think it is. I find it to be cold as shit. You might not agree with that, which would tell you that I am not used to it being this damn cold where I come from, if you were inclined to use your brain to reflect on the words coming out of my noise hole instead of to automatically sort them into categories of propriety."

Okay, that was a little argumentative. But not very angry. He fiddles awkwardly with the zipper of his black corduroy jacket; someone has embroidered his sign in red on the upper arms.

"And yeah, sand is pretty terrible. I hung out there a little in the fall because there was a pretty cool little crab who lives over there I would hang out with, but he's hibernating now."

[missmarybennet]

Mary's eyes narrow. Her mood is precarious enough that customary politeness might be harder to grasp than usual.

"Clear and direct would have been to say, It's cold out and I dislike it. One doesn't need to resort to foul language for that."

"And besides," she adds, "I live on a farm and can therefore assure you that the matter to which you refer is not generally, in point of fact, a cold substance."

Not until it's sat out for a while, anyway.

"If you object to the chill, perhaps you should go to the sandy area."

[crabbycustomer]

Rollllll. "yes, you can talk like that if you sound like the most boring robot in the history of paradox space. No, wait, actually, all the robots I knew had incredible rage problems, what's boring. Ghosts. Boring-ass ghosts. Anyway, the point is, profanity is more colorful and interesting, especially if you get creative with it. I will meet you halfway and admit that that was not a particularly inspired bit of invective."

"I will compromise and retract it to be substituted by 'colder than a horrorterror's amity fronds,' if it pleases Her Honorable Tyranny."

[missmarybennet]

She's tempted to throw a rock. She really is.

Instead what Mary does is say, "Thank you."

Primly.

Mary goes back to looking at the lake.

"And I am quite happy to be boring, so you may spare me your insults."

[crabbycustomer]

"i didn't insult you." He sounds aggrieved. "holy hell, do you know how rare it is that i meet a new person and i don't insult them a little in passing, in a friendly way? i actually went out of my way to not insult you, even though you are the one who started this argument when you decided to set yourself up as the giant crustacean authority judging my linguistic habits."



"...the giant crustacean part is not an insult either," he adds, after a beat. "on my world the judges are all gigantic lobster-monsters, which sounds incredibly stupid now that I come to tell someone about it, but that's the way it is."

[sidhe_king]

There is a flower that appears beside Mary--a pretty barely-open red rosebud--that Finvarra is careful to have carry no trace of himself. He's standing not far behind her, just out of her arm's reach and yet close enough to certainly have a conversation.

"Such a sad face for a pretty girl," he says gently. "Pray, tell me how to change it?"

[missmarybennet]

Mary stiffens slightly at the familiar voice. Then, as if lacking the energy, slumps back again, shoulders rounded, arms wrapped around drawn-up knees.

"If you're here to harass or try to frighten me, Your Majesty, I pray you just get it over with."

She'll even toss her iron nail aside.

[sidhe_king]

"Hardly, dear girl," he says, coming to sit beside her. "I've not tried to harass you at any point, truth be told."

[missmarybennet]

Mary's eyes cut sideward suspiciously. But she doesn't stir.

"You're a fairy. Everyone one knows that fairies seduce and kidnap mortals. At least that's what all the old stories say."

But she sounds more dejected than if she actually cares.

[sidhe_king]

"Aye," he answers, "We do. But tonight is not our hunt, nor would I bring it here. But to be frank, I am not exactly a fairy, not as you would reckon it. We are sidhe," the fae king says.

"Irish cousins, you could say."

[missmarybennet]

"Well. I suppose that's a relief."

To a good English girl, this might be all the more cause for consternation. But Mary has had enough exposure to Milliways by this time to hold judgment a bit.

And it's just been a long, trying day.

"Fairies are so different in Ireland?"

[sidhe_king]

"Aye, we are. My court is far, far less structured--for good and for worse."

He considers her, and what sort of fae she'd make were he to make good on his instinct. "Tell me, what happened to ye today to have you in such a black mood?"

[missmarybennet]

Mary snorts lightly.

"The Irish do like to do everything in their own way."

It seems this applies to supernatural beings as well.

Mary drags the cuff of her sleeve across her eye. She's not crying, really. Just....leaky.

"It was....simply a trying day. My family is in something of an uproar, I'm afraid."

It's Milliways. There are few repercussions for airing dirty laundry here.

[ginsu_master]

Leo had just been coming back up from the lake after a quick dip. Surprisingly, even brothers don't like to be around you when you smell like a locker room after sword practice. His hair and sweater are both a little damp, and he is barefoot. Why bother when he is just heading back into Mike's apartment?

Swords sheathed and loosely gripped in one hand, he pauses coming around a bend.

"Ah, sorry there." He rubs at the back of his neck with his free hand and offers a polite smile. "Didn't know this rock was taken."

[missmarybennet]

Mary has been sitting in an attitude of utter dejection -- knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them, chin resting on them. At the unexpected interruption, she quickly tries to arrange herself into a somewhat more composed posture, sitting up straight, feet on ground, hands folded in lap.

"That's quite all right," she says, sounding ever so slightly like someone nursing a cold in the head. "There is no harm done."

None done, and yet....Mary finds herself eying the swords warily.

[ginsu_master]

He glances down at his swords then shrugs the shoulder straps over one shoulder, lazy like some sort of backpack.

He smiles again. "Sword practice. I've found that later in the evening here can either be a great time for solitude and contemplation, or I suddenly have three new friends that would like to discuss their own katana style."



[OOC: SORRY. Fell asleep and the next day blew up. BUT I REALLY WANT TO PLAY. Mary is awesome!]

[missmarybennet]

Mary aims for an expression of polite interest, but mostly winds up looking confused.

"I don't know what a katana is."

Presumably something to do with the swords.

"I would reassure you, though, that I will not intrude upon your solitude. I don't make friends so easily."

[ginsu_master]

He shrugs his shoulder where his swords are slung. "It is a specific style of curved blade from Japan. They have become rather popular outside of the country in, ah, my time." He makes an assumption that she is not from 21st century America from her wardrobe.

"It has not been a bad thing, to be disturbed." He smiles. "I've found that, sometimes, I believe I want solitude and am pleased to find it broken. I've almost grown to enjoy interrupts since my brothers have left home."

"But, thank you." He bows slightly. "I will try to return you kindness, if that is your wish."

[missmarybennet]

"Not at all. You may stay if you wish."

The man does not seem to be a threat, and even if Mary would rather be left alone, deeply ingrained politeness would prevent her from saying otherwise.

In any case, a distraction from her woes might be preferable.

"You have many brothers?"

It is quite true, in her experience, that siblings give one little peace.

[ginsu_master]

"Three, all of them younger. Two are out of the house now. All of them here."

Leo squats down, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Yourself?"

[missmarybennet]

"Four sisters, two elder, two younger. All of us still at home."

Mary pulls a face, thinking of the scene she left behind in Longbourn.

"It's extremely trying. But none of them come here."

A fact that Mary is starting to appreciate more and more.