milliways_bar | Breakfast?

Current Mood: curious

Breakfast?

I think I'm getting the hang of this? I hope I'm getting the hang of this? *is still new at these sort of comms*

[After This OOM]

Merrick's decided to see if he's still crazy. Or at least if what happened all those weeks ago was a dream. Besides, he figures that a live-in bar no matter how strange could be useful considering the collateral damage-hell the blowback that's incurred at the institute since his last visit.

So he tries the door.

well... He peers around at a Milliways engaged in its early morning routines. Or at least he thinks its early morning, its hard to tell. Considering that how in his own time it's mid afternoon. Or something along those lines. Jet Lag and all that.

He sits down at the bar, wondering if you have to ask for a menu, or if one will be presented to you...or just how to go about the business of eating breakfast. He's just a little grumpy, but he'll take friendly advice.

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There was a blind girl sitting a few seats down from him, enjoying her own lunch. Well, less a girl now than a woman, but that's neither here nor there.

Noting the scrape of his stool against the floor, Ivy turned, looking through him rather than actually at him, and offered a faint smile. "Hello."

Merrick's so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't happen to see his fellow seatmates-particularly the girl now staring at him with the most beautiful eyes he's ever seen-and blank as a fresh white sheet of paper. He decides to not ask any questions however. It's just a relief to know he's not crazy.

"Hello." Merrick studies her for a moment, then hesitantly looks to her lunch, "That looks amazing, I'm famished miss...do you know how to-get the bar to-or is there a menu? Or a waiter?" He's floundering from lack of sleep and just the general state of affairs in his world.

"You're new," Ivy deduced, and her smile widened, just a bit. "Just ask the bar. It may sound strange, but she can hear you." She placed a palm against the top of the bar, and politely asked, "May I have some cookies, please, M'am?" A plate of chocolate chip cookies appeared just to the left of her lunch plate. "Like that."

Merrick studies the cookies and then eyed the bar, "Ah-yes...hello? Miss...sir...um...whatever gender you are-can I have a cup of coffee?"

And like magic (And this makes Merrick do a doubletake) A plain white mug of steaming columbian appears before him.

"Incredible." There were colleagues that needed to see this, "No kitchen staff to complain, no waiters to demand a tip..."

He looked toward the girl, "Thank you Miss...Miss..."

"Ivy. Ivy Walker," she answered easily, more than a little amused by his reaction, remembering her own when she was new. "And there is a kitchen staff, and waiters as well. I do not not know how it all works, however. I had never thought to ask, to tell the truth."

"You should always ask questions." Merrick says, finishing off his coffee, "Its part of being human, our ability to ask questions, our ability to be curious..."

His voice trails off at that and he's lost in thought thinking of Lincoln and Jordan and all of the rest of his...children.

"Never forget that my dear." Merrick says quietly, more to himself then to her, "Its part of what seperates us from the animals."

He holds out his own hand to her, "John Merrick at your service..."

"It is very good advice, Mr. Merrick," Ivy replied, obviously not acknowledging the hand extended to her nor making any move to accept it. "And I do often follow it. I fear that sometimes I make a nusance of myself to some of my friends, incessanty asking questions as I do, but they bear it well. Were I not blind, I am not certain that they wouldn't tell me to stop being so troublesome!" She laughed brightly, not seeming to be at all upset by her disability, or speaking of it.

Like most individuals in a situation where they've made an Error, Merrick moves quickly to rectify it, dropping his hand against the bar as if he'd meant to do that all along.

"Blind?" what the hell do I say in response to that? "I'm sorry."

And he is. Sorry because the first thought in his mind is that eye-transplants via clones are an incredibly common request...
But he's never met a person who's happy with it. This perplexes him, though he doesn't show it.

"Well...in such-a case-questioning would be justified to learn about the world and-" He flounders for a moment and recovers his smooth scientific demeanor, "Its good that you have such kind friends. They should never refuse to answer questions for you." Firm nod. that would do it.

"Why are you sorry?" Ivy asked, tilting her head, almost bird-like. "As far as I know, you didn't cause me to be blind, so you should not be sorry for it. Do not pity me, Mr. Merrick. I see the world. Just not as you do." Her tone was mild, understanding. "And yes, I have made some very good friends here. Have you been here long?"

"Its a...reflex." Merrick sighed, "I have this terminal need to apologize for everything."

This is a rarity. He's dropping his cold and scientific demeanor, and his aloof nature in favor of a fellow human, "As for how long I've been here...I came several weeks ago and I left-to go to a conference in London...but some-trouble at where I work has brought me back."

He chuckles dryly, "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy."

Ivy grinned. "That's understandable, I think, given the circumstances. This place is very odd even when you have been here for some time. It is not unusual for new people to worry about it being real." She reached blind fingers out and found his hand remarkably quickly, giving it a quick squeeze before releasing it again. "And do not trouble yourself with worrying whether I was insulted, if that is what you are doing. I was not."

Merrick closes his eyes in understanding, "Do you...live here? In this place?" He pauses, looking for clarification, "I don't see any rooms or...anything.."

"I haven't always, but yes, I do now," Ivy answered. "Bar can provide you with a room, as well, if you ask her. It all goes onto your tab. I understand that the shape of the bar is different for some people, but for me, if you look behind you twenty-one steps and then left four steps, there should be a staircase which leads to the rooms."

"I see..." This might be worthwhile to explore when he had more time, however...

There were tasks to be accomplished.

"Thank you for your kindness Miss Walker." Merrick raises a hand tentatively and places it on her shoulder before standing, "I-should go home though."

A thought occurs to him, and its a dangerous one, "I remember...vaguely-that sometimes the bar doesn't let people leave...that-that doesn't happen often right?"

His nervousness is showing.

She'd not expected the contact of his hand upon her shoulder, but tensed only a second in reaction. "It does happen," Ivy replied gently. "How often I could not say. I was Bound when I first came here, but was later able to leave again. Some say the bar keeps you here if you have a lesson to learn, although I couldn't rightly tell you what my lesson was." That was possibly not the complete truth, but it mattered little. "If it eases your mind any, you might be glad to know that for most people, the way I understand it, when you are Bound, time stops in your world even as it goes on here. It is comforting to know that you will not be missed, in any case."

Amanda comes in from outside to grab some water she sees a new face, to her at any rate, looking a little perplexed. "Hello, Do you need some help?"

Merrick blinks at her, "Well...somewhat...actually I just wanted to come and make sure that I wasn't crazy." He laughs a little at that, a bit high pitched, "Do you just ask the bar for what you'd like to eat or is there a specific menu?"

He knows that he must sound rude, and he mentally sends an apology the way of all the denizens of this strange and wonderful physically impossible place-but he's got a hell of alot on his mind.

Amanda just offers him a warm smile, "You just ask lady bar for what it is that you wish to eat or drink and she provides" Amanda points to the tab tally on the wall "That keeps track of your tab."

"This place takes a little getting used to" she extends her hand ,"My name is Amanda"

Merrick shakes her hand firmly, its not his gladhanding air or his almighty-scientist expression, but one of a human being out and about and interested in meeting fellow human beings.

He mentally measures how hungry he is, "Chicken Ceasar salad?"
Ask of the bar and ye shall recieve. Numbers continue to rise in some far off place in relation to Merrick and a perfect salad appears before him.

"That was easeier then I thought." He sighed loudly, "Thank you for your help Amanda."

He smiles a little, "Do you work here? Do I pay you?"

Smiling, "No I don't work here. You pay the bar, just place your money onthe bar and she will accept it. Though this one's on me."

Speaking to bar, "Just put his salad on my tab."

"Now perhaps I could get your name?"

"John Merrick." Merrick extended his hand to her, "Doctor, John Merrick."

She accepts his hand, "Doctor. Doctor of what?" she has met a few doctors here not all of which were medical.

"A-scientist...its a doctorate in multiple fields." He smiles at her, "Biology and Genetics primarily. I-ah..."

The eternal conundrum. Do you tell someone what you do for a living if they might have potentially ethical issues with it?

"I make medical supplies." He wondered what Witman, and the clones of course-would say in that case, "Medical supplies for...very rich clients."

Amanda notices the hesitation and wants the whole story so she will push, "What kind of medical supplies?"

Merrick sighs. Here comes the difficult part. Should he attempt to set it up? Or just give her the honest truth?

Think carefully. What do you know about this place?
People from different times and different universes.

It reminded him almost of a book he'd read a long time ago as a child. So saying, he took a deep breath, "I make non-sentient clones for use in organ transplants." He leaned forward, hands extended, "Let us assume that you're injured-lets say you got...shot. Your heart has been punctured. You would normally assume endgame yes?"

He doesn't wait for her to respond, continuing, "However, I make genetically compatible ready-made clones. They are vegetative, non-responsive. We would harvest a heart from said agnate and you would...continue."

He's not ashamed of boasting this last part, "Cancer? Aids? A thing of the past in...my world." Why shouldn't be be prideful? despite the drawbacks he did save lives, "All thanks to my work. I'm in the business of extending life...because who among us is really immortal?"

Amanda starts to laugh, "In this place you might be suprised."

Merrick frowns at her sudden bought of laughter, but he's suddenly curious, "What do you mean?"

She calms herself, "Haven't you heard, there are immortals, gods, mages, vampires, aliens, and all sorts of other creatures that frequent the bar?"

Merrick blinks. Something about this was mentioned the first time that he came to such a place...however...

"I'm afraid not." He raises an eyebrow stoicly behind his glasses, "Vampires, gods, mages..."

He remembers an Angel who read his mind the first time he was here.

"....I see." So he hadn't dreamt that either, "That's...somewhat frightening if I may say..."

Theoretically possible and improbable...but if they did exist...

"I don't mean to offend!" In fact, I'd love to meet one of these immortals "I just...well-its all a bit strange still..."

A Bar that proffers food and drink upon request and now gods and monsters. Could this place get anymore interesting?

Oh yes. That cosmic window or some such thing...
Merrick sighs.

She frowns, "Please don't let differnce's frighten you." she orders a dagger from bar. "I assume you have also been told the rules. No nudity, no business, and no violence, allowed in the bar." since he is already afriad, as far as she knows, she wont scare him just yet by telling him about recent events.

Merrick remained quiet while thinking about this, "I see." He said calmly, nodding, "That makes sense...its the only way a society like this could function."

Denial ain't just a river in egypt..

What a quaint turn of phrase, he thought to himself. However he eyed the dagger with a suspicious gaze and directed his look downward, "That doesn't prevent it entirely-am I correct?"

No paranormal ability, no physic powers. Merrick is an intuitive man by nature-which has served him poorly on quite a few occasions.

"No. There are occasions where the rules are broken and for those times there is a security force."

She sees him eying the dagger, "Don't worry, this isn't intended for you."

After a rather enjoyable evening last night, Mary Anne saunters downstairs in search of a late breakfast. She's absorbed in an internal debate--french toast or pancakes--when she sees a man at the bar looking equal parts confused and frustrated.

She takes a seat next to him. "Are you alright? I'm still new here myself, but I might be able to help."

[ooc: mun has class in a few and will be gone for a couple hours, but wanted to get a tag in beforehand. Slowtime = love.]

"I think I'm slowly getting the hang of this establishment." It did have sort of an old world charm that reminded him of home, "I-think..."

"Still new?" He senses a kindred spirit in confusion and manages a slow smile, "There's such a thing as a regular here?"

He sighs and puts his fingers to his temples, "Sorry-sorry. Long flight, difficulties with my work...I have god's own headache." He grins at her sheepishly, and totally out of character, "You wouldn't happen to know if this place serves asprin would you?"

She smiles in return. "There seem to be regulars, in any case; regular in that they're dead, or Bound, and unable to leave."

She remembers (Cleveland to LA to Bangkok to Saigon to Chu Lai to Tra Bong). Merrick gets a nod of sympathy. "Long flights are hell. As for the aspirin...I'm given to understand that Bar provides more than just food and drink; she'll give you anything with in reason."

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