the 002nd. || voice

[pike]

[ Much like Nigel's first post, there is only silence when the device first clicks on. Eventually, though, the young man on the other end of the connection clears his throat. His tone is politely curious. ]

I've been told that the dead do not stay dead here and in ways much more involved than the occasional curse. Which leaves me wondering, City: is there no need for undertakers here?

[ There's a pause and then Nigel adds: ]  I had hoped to make myself useful.

Comments

audio ][ never a problem, m'dear!

[pike]

I have an interest in human anatomy -- all anatomy, really. I'm also somewhat of an amateur zoologist. [ A beat. ] Some people say I keep very odd hobbies.

audio ][ <3~

[adamantined]

Well, I don't know anything about... working with bodies, but there is a zoo. Maybe you could get some kind of job there.

[Because that is much more normal.]

audio ][ c:

[pike]

[ Nigel's much better with dead animals, to be honest, but a suggestion is a suggestion. ]

There's a thought that hadn't occurred to me. Though I imagine a zoo in a place like this is populated with much stranger animals than could be imagined back home.

audio ][

[adamantined]

There are dinosaurs and some unicorns. And other weird things. But considering that people don't typically stay dead in a place like this, I think it'd probably be a better choice than... you know, an undertaker.

[She is trying very hard not to communicate how strange she thinks this is.]

audio ][

[pike]

[ Nigel is more than used to being found strange and is perhaps even a little surprised by Claire's restraint. ]

Saya's suggested I attempt to assist at the hospital, though I lack any formal education so I doubt that's possible.

[ A pause. ] Unicorns, you say.

audio ][

[adamantined]

I wouldn't know if it is or not. The only thing I know of personally in the hospital that doesn't really require formal education is reading in the pediatric ward, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

[And there's her own pause, but it's so she can nod.]

Unicorns. I thought the dinosaurs would be more up your alley.

audio ][

[pike]

[ With a passive sort of amusement. ] No, I'm afraid not quite. Suffice to say, my bedside manner leaves much to be desired. Nevermind children.

I have particular interest in insects and birds. And the popular theory goes that dinosaurs had more in common with modern day birds than with reptiles.

audio ][

[adamantined]

[Well, now she is just going to keep him away from children forever.]

I've heard that. I watched Jurassic Park. I'm still pretty sure that unicorns had more in common with horses than they did with birds, though.

audio ][

[pike]

[ She should probably give Mouse the heads up while she's at it, given how often the two ran into one another at Saya's garage. ]

Normally I'd say that unicorns have more in common with fairy tales than proper science. But the City continues to insist on proving me wrong about these sorts of things.

audio ][

[adamantined]

I don't think you'd be wrong about that. It's just the whole idea that fairy tales can actually be real that people get tripped up on.

[Still better than undertaking, in her opinion.]

audio ][

[pike]

[ But, Claire! He's so good at it! ]

Makes me rethink all the stories my mother told me when I was a child.

audio ][

[adamantined]

[But, Nigel, you are too young to be a creepy creeper.]

If we actually remembered what went on here, you could probably go back and argue that they're all real. Except The Little Mermaid. That one's not real.

audio ][

[pike]

[ Just wait for the next age swap, Claire. Then you can see just how young creepy creepers can get. ]

...why isn't it?

audio ][

[adamantined]

[Just as long as she's taller, then she will feel safe.]

Because it just can't be. If it was real I'd be horribly bitter it wasn't happening to me.

audio ][

[pike]

[ His cuteness may strike her blind, though. Thus rendering any gain via height useless. ]

Out of all the fairy stories you could choose, you choose the Little Mermaid?

audio ][

[adamantined]

[So she will just be spending that day trying to squish the creepy out of him.]

Out of all the jobs to ask after, you asked about undertaking. We've all got our own personality quirks.

audio ][

[pike]

[ Okay, Nigel can't really argue with this. ]

Fair enough, Claire. But something tells me there's an anecdote in there somewhere.

audio ][

[adamantined]

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

audio ][

[pike]

[ He's silent for a long moment and then says, very quietly: ] A knight.

audio ][

[adamantined]

[Considering that Claire doesn't take this as serious -]

Well... I wanted to be a mermaid.

audio ][

[pike]

Ah. [ Nigel sounds enlightened. ] Fish envy, is it, Claire?

audio ][

[adamantined]

Mermaid envy, actually. What about you? Armor envy?

audio ][

[pike]

What, and pass up all the crude possibilities 'lance envy' has to offer?

audio ][

[adamantined]

[Fft.]

Sorry, my brain just isn't wired to go there first.

audio ][

[pike]

[ He laughs. ]

One would think being English would qualify me much for the same.