alana bloom - first ep

[patterns_bloom]

Autor blinks at the cupcake Bar gives him, and inquires as to the reason. "Oh. Already?" he says to the answering napkin, and takes the treat with him back to his world.

Not a minute later, the door opens, slams, and opens again. Alana Bloom cautiously steps through, marveling at the bar which appeared in Hannibal's waiting room. She shivers in her ivy-print dress, and then straightens her shoulders.

"I still don't know how this happened, Hannibal," she says, looking to her friend with a small smile. "But what kinds of people go to a bar in your waiting room?"

[OOC: Double EP, tag one or both! Millitimed to yesterday. Slow-times called! Thank you everyone for tagging in!]

Comments

[cook_the_rude]

"It's not just in my waiting room," Hannibal says, following her through, still wearing his apron. "This is a pan-dimensional bar where the door leads somewhere else for almost every patron. I've discovered this place a few months ago."

He smiles at her.

"Come on in. Our food will keep."

[patterns_bloom]

She nods and crosses the threshold, hands at her sides. "Pan-dimensional," she murmurs, glancing around. She notes the fire and the stairs, as well as the impressively-stocked bar itself. "It's... sort of unbelievable. Does it always pull you in at random?"

[cook_the_rude]

"It's not always there," Hannibal says. "But when it is, I take advantage of it. Would you like a drink?"

He looks around, as if to see whom here he knows.

"I think I must tell you the rules, but we'd better do that over the Discworld's best whiskey, the famous MacAbre."

[patterns_bloom]

"A small shot, maybe," she says, and then pinches herself. "It... it is a little overwhelming, here."

She strides to the bar, her black pumps click-clacking on the floor, and places her hands on the edge of the counter. "I don't see a tender."

[cook_the_rude]

"Two glasses of MacAbre's best, please," Hannibal says, seemingly to the empty air.

Two glasses appear on the bar's surface.

"The bar is sentient, and this is how you order, unless there is a tender offering specials. That's a duty shared by most regulars. You can order from the rats as well."

[fry_sandhu]

"Alcoholics?" a small child suggests, without looking up from his paper chain making.

[cook_the_rude]

"Hello, Fry," Dr. Lecter says. "Meet my friend Alana Bloom, who just found Milliways in my waiting room. Alana, this is Fry Sandhu, the oldest son of Guppy Sandhu, our resident ER physician."

Pause.

"Yes, this is a bar which has both doctors and a Security force. It's an unusual place."

[patterns_bloom]

Alana smiles at the answer, and then blinks when her brain catches up to her mouth. He's so young! Six, maybe?

"Hello, Fry," she says, adopting Hannibal's matter-of-fact tone. "It's a pleasure to meet you. "Do you need any help with your paper chain?"

Her gaze travels around the bar again and lands on Hannibal. "It truly is. This Security force sounds like so much more than just a set of bouncers, and there's an attending physician?" she says quietly, furrowing her brow.

[fry_sandhu]

Fry glances up at the lady, just for a moment.

"You can help if you like if you put the colours in the right order." he says.

Then he adds. "Daddy isn't an ear doctor, he's a consultant... jellyatrician. He looks after old people. Who can only eat soft things like jelly."

[cook_the_rude]

"He runs the infirmary here, which is something like an Emergency Room," Dr. Lecter qualifies. "And some people come here with very complex stories and the attendant drama, which includes injuries and exotic illnesses. Hence, the infirmary."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Vayne Solidor has arrived in Archadia, and so Sherral has had the uncomfortable task of joining the other captains in the garrison at yet another turgid diplomatic event, as the departing consul attempts to beg for political scraps at the feet of House Solidor.

Which is why he's in his dark grey dress uniform, with his cap under his arm and his medals pinned to his chest, looking like he can't decide whether to be grumpy (because party) or elated (because Vayne Solidor).

"Doctor Lecter," he says, approaching. It's possible grump is making his accent a little thicker. "And - I don't believe I've met your companion."

[cook_the_rude]

"Sherral!" Dr. Lecter says. "How very nice to see you. This is Dr. Alana Bloom, a colleague and dear friend from my world."

[patterns_bloom]

"A pleasure to meet you, Sherral," Alana says. "Just get off-duty?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

"One of my least enjoyable duties," Sherral says, by way of an affirmative, "and yet one which I seem constantly called upon to perform. I daresay you and Doctor Lecter may enjoy it more than I would," he gives Hannibal a wry glance, "no shortage of issues on display."

He inclines his head. Saluting seems like a bit too formal for this situation, so he falls back on the semi-formal Archadian gesture of choice and settles his left hand to the right of his collarbone and bows a little.

"It's a pleasure to meet you also, Doctor Bloom."

[cook_the_rude]

"Oh, we have enough issues on grisly display in our line of work," Dr. Lecter says, lightly. "Now, it's probably time for a drink."

[sunbaked_baker]

As is often the case, a day of baking does much to help Rae regain her sense of balance after a bad night. The familiar textures and smells, the methodical movements and wholesome results do much to set her back on an even keel.

So today, elaborate smells of baking - of ripe yeast dough, cinnamon and chocolate - are wafting from the kitchen into the bar room. Soon, the baker, in purple jeans and a blue-green sweater with the sleeves rolled up underneath her sunflower-dotted apron, enters carrying her gargantuan tray of various baked goods for sale.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana leans to Hannibal and whispers, "When you said cinnamon rolls, I didn't think they'd be that huge."

That said, Alana approaches the colorfully-dressed woman with a grin. "Excuse me, are you Rae?" she asks, clearly impressed with the tray. "My friend Hannibal recommends your cinnamon rolls, and I can see why."

[cook_the_rude]

"Warmly recommends," said Hannibal adds, from somewhere behind, smiling. "Dr. Alana Bloom, Rae Seddon," he introduces, smoothly.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae takes in the approaching woman with a glance, a bright smile breaking out on her face at the compliment and when she sees Dr. Bloom's companion.

"Yep, that's me," Rae nods, beaming, as she set the large tray on the nearest empty table. "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Bloom."

The hand she holds out to shake is very clean.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana's pleased to shake her hand, and pleased that she offered. "The pleaure's mine," she says. "Can we help you with your tray, or at least purchase a few lighten the load?"

[closesecond]

Kane looks up from his portable EVA unit - a machine which to the casual eye looks rather like an ordinary laptop several years too advanced to be from the year 2000 as most versions of Earth know it. He smiles as he notices Dr. Lecter accompanying the new arrival.

"All sorts of people," he says. "Strangers, acquaintances, people from other universes. And friends as well."

He turns to Hannibal and nods, quietly shutting the lid of his EVA unit. "Good evening, Dr. Lecter. I take it your colleague hasn't been here before?"

[cook_the_rude]

"No, I was as surprised as she was when my usual door opened for her," Dr. Lecter says. "Dr. Alana Bloom, Dr. Cain."

[patterns_bloom]

"A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Cain," Alana says, smiling. "If I might ask, how long have you known Dr. Lecter?"

[closesecond]

"That rather depends on your frame of reference," Kane says. "His, mine, or the bar's. It's rather difficult to tell when different universes are involved. 'Some number of months' should suffice, I think."

[cook_the_rude]

"Yes, precision suffers the more, the more universes are involved," Dr. Lecter nods.