milliways_bar | EP: Kate Barlow | Main Bar, Library (age spell plot)

It had been a quiet day for Kate when the loud BWA-BOOOOOOOM shook the bar. She'd just settled down after her nightly chores in the stables, easing the tension out of her back in an armchair by the fire, sipping on a hot tea with bourbon in.

(It's getting close to All Hallows' Eve, and that's making her anxious.)

However, she didn't have all that long to think about the approaching holiday before she was seeing the room from an even lower vantage point, face scrunched in distaste at the liquor on her tongue. She blinked at the teacup and quickly set it down, jumped to her feet, and looked around the strange room.

" ... Daddy?"

Kate Barlow, aged twelve, was off in search of her father.

What she found instead were the libraries.

Now, far calmer, a young Kate sits amid a pile of books, occasionally sweeping cautious glances around the room. She's finding the words of Jules Verne to be a comfort at present. Clearly she slipped and bumped her head during chores, or stumbled onto a glorious vessel somewhere in deep space. She isn't quite sure what to make of it right now, but anywhere with an endless supply of science fiction can't be all that bad.

[ooc: open forever! you may find Kate in the library or the main bar. if your character wants to be in on a heist, they can take this opportunity to meet Kate. the actual heist will happen in a later post, so it's not required you tag this one (I'll update all interested parties once it's all in place). if you'd like me to send Kate round to one of your posts, just let me know!

tiny!tag: age spell plot]

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Pause.

"Who is Jesse James?"

"Really? Y'haven't heard of him?"

Judging by the look on her face, this is the most shocking revelation Kate's ever had.

"Jesse James is the younger brother of Frank James, half of the James-Younger bandits. They rob money from the dirty stinkin' rich, an' make fools outta any Pinkerton agents who try an' stop them! An' he's real fine on the eyes. He's like a modern day Robin Hood, he is."

Pause agaaaaaaain.

"Does he give the money to the poor farmers and people?"

Some books say so, so it must be true.

She nods eagerly.

"Mmhmm! He was a farmer himself, but the bank forced him off his land. That's why he robs banks an' trains now. To the workin' man, he's a hero."

"This is why banks are evil," she says, very seriously, in the tones of one who doesn't get how money works, and in any case has a hell of a lot of propaganda in her head.

"One day, in your country, working people are going to rise up, and take all the money and share it. That's what's happened in my country."

"Really? You don't have any poor in your country?"

It sounds wonderful.

"No! The State looks after everyone," she says.

"And everyone lives together and shares things like the kitchen."

"Oh, I'd very much like that! That's just what I want to do. Like Jesse James, ride in and take from the greedy sons-of-guns. Why should they get all the wealth?"

Talking about these things always excites her. That's part of the reason her daddy don't like it when she reads nickel books.

Something else Natasha says grabs her attention, though.

"Say, d'you ever see anybody but them funny-lookin' rats going in and out of the kitchen here?"

"I...there was a woman who was frosting cupcakes, but I didn't see her move anywhere.

She was from the future," she adds. "But there weren't any flying cars."

"I wonder what they've got in there, an' who's allowed to touch it?"

Is there a cook? The nice Bar can make food and drinks show up out of thin air, so why would they need one? Kate's curious.

(Kate also believes flying is very important, so there's a thoughtful pout at Natasha's remark about the future.)

Edited 2013-10-14 05:35 (UTC)

"Oh," she says, sitting down so their heads are closer together, just in case someone else is listening.

"Do you think we should...have a look? I don't know who is in charge here."

Edited 2013-10-14 06:12 (UTC)

Kate nods thoughtfully.

"I don't know either. I haven't seen a whole lot of adults."

She chews on her bottom lip, and nods decisively this time.

"Perhaps we should. It's important t'be well-informed and independence-minded. That's the kinda thinkin' we'll build the future on."

She nods eagerly.

"And if there is hoarding involved, that means that there is oppression of the people coming here. And it's our duty to stop it."

"Yes!"

Her eyes sparkle.

"We'll liberate all the foodstuffs for the children to share, jus' like Jesse James."

She's reasonably sure that's how the story goes, anyhow.

"Yes!

And some of the adults, if they don't have jobs," she adds, as she still owns a sense of fair play.

"And then we can be like the Revolutionary Heroes, too!"

Kate stifles a squeal of excitement. She's always wanted to be like one of the outlaws in her serials; this is her chance.

"All right, let's get to work then. First, we better scout everythin' out; they say that's the most important. Then we might need to get a posse together."

"Is a posse a group?"

Pause.

Then, barely a whisper, "I need to hide my book. It's important."

She nods enthusiastically.

"Your posse's your gang, an' they're always watchin' your back. You never leave a man behind. I'll watch your back if you watch mine."

And, dropping her voice to match:

"We need a hideout, too. Someplace we can keep things safe. Um — you could hide it with my books, till we find one?"

"I'll absolutely watch your back! Promise!"

And then she nods quickly.

"Sure. I think that is a plan."

Kate beams — a rare sight for the twelve year old who, whenever in public, is stern and headstrong.

"I promise I'll watch yours, too. Let's put your book on the bottom shelf here, and I'll stack mine around it. No one will see it there."

Carefully, she puts the book on the shelf, watching as Katherine puts her books around it. Good. She can work out what it means after the Liberation.

"So, I think we need to plan, carefully. Do you want scout first?"

She dusts her hands on her white skirts, proud of their handiwork thus far.

"Yes, let's. I'm, um. I'm hungry."

She grins sheepishly.

"Can we discuss our plans over tea?"

Just like Jesse James. Yes.

"Food is vitally important."

Beat.

"Tea and pancakes."

Food for revolutionaries, when there is plotting and liberation afoot.

"Do you have your tea with jam, or sugar? Because with strawberry jam, it's best..."

EP: Kate Barlow | Main Bar, Library (age spell plot)

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