(no subject)

[cook_the_rude]

On this wonderful bright May afternoon, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is sitting in a booth near the back window, with a large sheet of paper and a number of pencils and scalpels, drawing.

He's drawing a re-imagination of a classic painting, 'Judith Slaying Holofernes', the version by Artemisia Gentileschi.

In his pencil version, Holofernes has no beard, is blond, and looks remarkably like Eric Northman. Judith does look a little like Sunshine in the original already; now she looks even more so.

The maid, in Hannibal's version, is wearing round glasses and a worried expression.

He is whistling as he works.

Comments

[guppy_sandhu]

"Dr Lecter."

Guppy sits opposite, with a stack of paperwork and an expression of business.

"Can you spare me a minute?"

[cook_the_rude]

"Hello, Guppy," Dr. Lecter says. "How can I help you?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"Have you seen Javert recently?" Guppy asks.

[cook_the_rude]

"Not since I told him to get tested for Asperger," Dr. Lecter says. "Did he come to you, as I said?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"... No, he's jumped in the Seine."

Guppy stares at him.

"You told Javert he has Asperger's? When?"

[sunbaked_baker]

Every so often, a day comes along that seems to outright require one to try something new. A new skill or hobby, to plant something one has never tried to grow before, or to start a new book. In this baker's case, the day called for her to try out a number of individual fruit pie recipes.

So Sunshine is making her way around the bar room, inquiring if any patron would like to taste-test one of the six or seven different types of miniature pies she has made. Some are willing. Others are too involved in what they are already doing. And that's okay, too.

Rae looks over in Dr. Lecter's direction as she hears his whistling, and smiles. She has the tray of miniature pies balanced against her hip as she approaches.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Lecter," she greets him with a smile.

[cook_the_rude]

"Hello, Rae," Dr. Lecter says, looking up at her. "That smells very promising."

[sunbaked_baker]

"Pies. Well, miniature pies. It was a day for experimentation," she replies. She's been missing lost friends, lately, a piemaker among them. "Care to try them? I'd appreciate your opinion."

[cook_the_rude]

Carefully, Hannibal pushes his drawing aside.

"I have been experimenting as well," he says, "and will gladly serve as a lab rat in your experiment. What kinds of pies are they?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"There's a few different kinds," Rae replies, putting together a small plate with one of each kind of pie.

"There's maple-infused cherry," she says, setting one on the plate that has a pie-crust maple leaf as an upper crust. "Cinnamon-crisped pears with crushed almond crumble..."

"Caramel apple," she adds as she sets on the plate a small pie filled with tiny spiral roses made of cinnamon-sugar sauteed apple slices, "Raspberry-rhubarb, strawberry and date with toffee crumble on top, and blackberry-ginger tarts."

Maneuvering the tray out of her way, she leans to set the offering plate upon the table. It's as she opens her mouth to ask a question in reply that she notices the drawing. And its subject. "What have... what sort of experiments have you been doing?"

Her look is a questioning one, as she straightens.

[tire_moi_mes_bottes]

Bossuet hasn't tried his luck meeting mermaids yet, or explored any of the other exciting perils of the location. He's keeping the Bar company. Stretching out his hypothetical tab. Checking the quality of the local beers. Getting to know a few sandwiches.

Passing Dr. Lecter's table with a fresh tankard, he gives him a "don't let me interrupt you if you're busy but hello" wave.

((Dunno if you've got a lot planned for this thread, and I'm going to be in and out this evening, so feel free to have Lecter miss him or whatever if that's easier for you.))

[cook_the_rude]

"Hello, Monsieur Lesgle," Dr. Lecter says, looking up from his drawing. "You are savouring some local brews?"

[tire_moi_mes_bottes]

"It keeps me out of trouble." Taking that as sufficient invitation, he looks over the drawing. "...And so will your cautionary tale. I don't remember Judith's maid being such a blue-stocking."

He hasn't seen the original, but he's seen enough copies to recognize the subject.

[cook_the_rude]

"She is here," Dr. Lecter says. "My version is something of a caricature showing some of my friends here. I am hoping to amuse them."

[tire_moi_mes_bottes]

"Interesting taste your friends must have." But certainly, that makes sense; it's the sort of thing friends do. "Who's the fortunate Holofernes?"

[immortalthief]

As Amanda walks by she catches a glimpse of his sketch and promptly stops, does a double take, and then laughs.

[cook_the_rude]

"Unusual reaction," the draughtsman says, looking up at her.

[immortalthief]

And again she laughs.

"I like it." she offers, "It's just... different." indicating the image.

[cook_the_rude]

"It is somewhat different from the original by Gentileschi, yes," the man says. "That is intentional."

[immortalthief]

"I can see that. You are very talented." she takes another long look.

Then offering her hand, "Amanda."

[herr_bookman]

"Pfft!" Autor says, adjusting his glasses. "The maid? Really?"

He tucks his book under his arm and approaches the table. "The original painting depicted the artist beheading the person who assaulted her," he says, voice low. "I trust Sunshine hasn't been bothered by our resident vampire?"

[cook_the_rude]

"Autor!" Dr. Lecter says, delightedly. "I have to draw you in classical scenes more often if it means you turn up. Next up, you as David, our late lamented friend Angus Urquhart as Goliath?"

He smiles at Autor.

"She found him outside at dawn and took him inside with her magic, so now he is bothering her because he owes her. This is merely a joking suggestion of how she could get rid of him."

[herr_bookman]

Autor purses his lips. "You can draw whatever you like," he says. "You know I can't stop you."

He nods, considering the new information. "I have to wonder why she'd take him inside at all, but then again, this is Sunshine," he says. "Has she seen it?"

[cook_the_rude]

"Yes, she has," Dr. Lecter says. "And your guess is as good as mine as to why she did it. Perhaps she simply couldn't bear the idea of leaving somebody outside to die. Somebody who wasn't currently actively harming her."

[herr_bookman]

"Yes, that sounds like her all right," Autor says, shifting his book under his arm. "Well, as long as she's safe, that's all I care about. Thank you."