savetheearth | So the writer who breeds more words than she needs

Who: Bertholdt Fubar (

toobig) & Magdalene de Leon (

bibliofilo)
When: Morning of 12/10/13
Where: Bertholdt's apartment.
What: After a rather delayed return on her manuscript, Maggie decides to check in on her editor and friend to make sure he is okay.

[In the four years that she had been working with Bertholdt--which really, was essentially her entire writing career, he had never once been late on returning her manuscript. No matter how much she had added, no matter how much she had messed up, no matter how incredibly convoluted new developments were he was always reliable. He is reliable, for she's certain that whatever is making him tardy is a perfectly valid reason, but that just makes her worry all the more. Between recent revelations that the world was not what it seemed, the earthquake, and her own recent encounter with the Blood Keys, Maggie just couldn't help but be a little paranoid.

After several failed attempts to get in contact with him she decided to just up and visit him to see what was wrong. If nothing was she could just drop off the thermos of tea and bag of freshly baked croissants and be on her way. If there was something wrong...well, she was determined to do whatever she could to help, and stubbornness was not something she had ever lacked.

After shifting everything to one arm and balancing it with ease, she knocked on the door to her editor's apartment. Hopefully he would be home, and it wasn't too early.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Bertholdt, for the most part, had been struggling to work lately with his Echos and problems with Network and other such things. With the high stress the city was experiencing, he'd crumbled beneath it. While he and his boyfriend had hosted a ...party of sorts for people with similar Echos to them, even that had been exhausting... So he hadn't done anything in at least a week to her manuscript and between all of that and the holidays he'd nearly forgotten about it.]

[So when the tall brunet opens the door (his right arm and hand carefully hidden by the sleeve of his sweater) to see her standing there, he feels his heart leap in panic.]

U-uhm, good morning...

Good morning [Her own greeting is cheerful in turn and she holds up the bag, letting the scent of croissants fill the air] Have you had breakfast yet?

[She hides the relief of seeing him intact rather well. It was a silly thought, really, but with all that had happened recently nothing really seemed impossible anymore. There existed so many dangers in this city, now that her eyes had been opened.]

Oh, uh--

[How does he tell someone he no longer has to eat? He doesn't even know if Maggie is in on this whole Echo thing, not yet. He swallows and rubs his cheek with his sweater covered hand carefully.]

N-no... I didn't. Ihank you... f-for bringing that, I mean-- Uh, come on inside...

[He stands back from the door to let her into the apartment. It's pretty cozy, with a bookshelf lining one wall completely, and a large window covering most of another. There was a lot of natural light, and soft furniture.]

Can I get you anything...?

[Maggie step in, giving the apartment a curious look around before turning back to Bertholdt an apologetic look]

No, I'm quite alright. I just wanted to drop by and see how you've been doing--especially with everything that has been happening in the city recently. [A small frown at that. She still wasn't really sure how the earthquake and Blood Keys connected to the problems of the Numbers Club, but it was effecting everyone, not just them]

How have things been?

Thank you... That's so nice of you...

[He offers her a seat on the couch.]

Uhm... it's been okay, I guess. I mean, there's a lot of things going on, like you said... b-but you know me, I don't leave the house much.

[She takes the seat, giving him a small thanks before listening.]

Well that's a relief to hear. I had wondered what with everything happening. I tried calling but I guess it was just always at the wrong time. [She unscrewed the cap off her thermos and poured some tea into it, now using it as a cup before offering it to Bertholdt.]

Especially with the Bloodkeys running around....several people I know were caught up in that and. [She didn't finish, just grimacing instead]

O-oh I.... I don't answer my phone.

[He fidgets, looking embarrassed.]

I... haven't checked my email in a while though. That's my fault.

[Maggie gave a shake of her head.]

I think everyone in the city has had good reason to be occupied. It's ok. Do you have any time to talk about it though? My manuscript, that is.

[She pressed the cup of tea into his hand, hoping it would help him relax]

Your... oh! Oh, of course, sure...

[He looks a little nervous, glancing off instinctively toward his office where the manuscript is. The skin's peeled off his right hand, which he's still covering with his sweater sleeve, so it's not like he can edit it... without a computer, but he's even slower doing that.]

I had uh, most of it done... but then the holidays got to me I guess...

[There was something odd going on here. The way that he held himself seemed to indicate that he was pretty uncomfortable or tense. Had she done something to upset him? Was he just worried she would be angry that he hadn't replied to her? Or was there something else?

For a second it entered her mind that maybe he was part of the Numbers Club, but she pushed that out of her head just as quickly. She couldn't go around thinking that everyone might be involved in what was going on. Just the same way she couldn't go around doubting that everyone might be a danger.]

Well if you haven't had the time to finish yet, I'll leave it with you. There's just one thing I've been thinking of changing that I'd like your opinion on.

I'll get to work on it right away... I promise.

And-- of course. What were you thinking about?

Well. I've been thinking about the reactions of the characters we have to their situation. They are kids being thrust into a dangerous situation. I think it's a fairly common fantasy to have--being given a role of importance in some sort of adventure. Imagining yourself prevailing through all odds.

Yet when push comes to shove not many people would really be prepared to handle a situation like that. Which is why I've had them fumble and be scared through so much of their adventure. I don't think this more realistic reaction is something people miss but I've been wondering...what sort of other thoughts might they have? Maybe some of them would handle it okay despite being kids and become accustomed to things quickly. Instead of fear maybe they are just sad that the world isn't the way they thought it was. Maybe even angry?

What do you think? How would you react if your life was turned upside down?

I...

[Well isn't that meta as hell. Bertholdt looks nervous and puzzled a moment, sitting back on the couch and fidgeting with his sleeve.]

Me, personally....? I'd-- I'd want to run away. It depends on the character type, really, but the flight or fight response is really helpful in this type of thing. And then... you have to look at how they're all connected... Would they stay and help, or stay because someone could protect them...? Or, uh, things like that. Being angry or scared is natural in that... type of situation too. I guess you just have to really focus on how you er, how they would cope with it.

[His point about how they were connected was a good one. Most of them weren't so the question now was: would they remain for strangers?

Honestly it was just as much for herself as for her story that was she asking this. Maggie had heavily been debating leaving Locke City but a part of her still wondered if she had some role in this all. It was a little harder to convince herself to stay when there was no proof she was even needed. Yet a part of her felt guilty about up and leaving when there were some out there who didn't have that ability.]

It's some food for thought. I'll definitely try to mix it up. Thank you.

No problem... I can't wait to see what you do with it.

[He smiles, fidgeting with his sleeves a little. It felt good to get that off his chest, really. It was how he'd felt, after all. Even if Maggie didn't know about it.]

[At least, he hoped she didn't know about it.]

So the writer who breeds more words than she needs

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject