Quest 231

[primrosella]

[Accidental Video Post]

[The device opens on a shot of the interior of the Library, with Rosella sitting at a table reading a book in the foreground and a glimpse of tall shelves loaded with books in the background. Her blonde hair is pinned back off her face, as it usually is when she is at work, and there is a stack of books on either side of her on the table itself. On her left--the camera's right--the stack is quite tall, perhaps seven or eight neatly stacked books; on her right, the pile is only one or two books tall.

The one currently in her hands is old and bound in brown leather; the cover is so worn that the title is nearly illegible. But she appears to be thoroughly engrossed in her reading, and as yet hasn't even noticed that her camera has switched on.

She reaches to turn the page, and her finger slides along the edge--]

Ouch!

[--and instantly the scene seems to go into slow motion: the edge of the page slowly, agonizingly slides through the pad of her finger; her blue eyes widen faintly at the abrupt sting; her hand moves instinctively toward her mouth as a small droplet of blood squeezes out from the sudden wound--and the soundtrack kicks in.]

♪ MMMM, WHATCHA SAAAAAAAY?
MMM, THAT YOU ONLY MEANT WELL?
WELL, OF COURSE YOU-- ♫
[As she sucks on her cut finger, a look of exasperation crosses Rosella's face, and her eyes narrow slightly as she slides it from her lips and hisses in a severe whisper: ]

Oh, honestly. We're in the Library!

[And, as if properly abashed, the volume of the background music suddenly dials down to a more appropriate tone.]

♪ --DID,
MMMM, WHATCHA SAAAAAAAY?
MMM, THAT IT'S ALL FOR THE BEST? ♫
[Rolling her eyes, Rosella sticks her finger back into her mouth and returns to her book, and the soundtrack continues until the video slowly fades out to black.]


[OOC: Papercuts: they're serious business. And dramatic enough for today's curse, apparently! So naturally I couldn't resist. Action for anyone in the Library, Network for everyone else. Just remember to keep your voice down! :D]

Comments

video;

[elegantcontract.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's just a matter of when they have ideas? I can't imagine its very easy to device such frightful things very often.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, er--have you ever gone skating on a frozen pond in the winter? They're rather like that, except with wheels all in a row instead of a blade, so you can skate along the ground instead of the ice. They're really wonderfully fun; I've had my pair almost two years now.

[wandbreaker]

I have gone ice skating.

video;

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

That may be. But they do come up fairly regularly, I've found--it's rare to go more than a few days at a time without a single curse. Most of the time they're reasonably harmless, but every so often they're rather terrible. And there are some months when the terrible ones all seem to come together at once, like October.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Well, they seem rather dramatic for you, perhaps. But I will mind them, since they are quite uncomfortable, as I said. At least mine won't be so musical, if I do get any.

Not that I mind that it's getting colder. I, for one, rather like the autumn weather.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Then you'd likely be able to manage on my Rollerblades, too, with a little practice. The wheels make things a bit different, but the balancing is the same.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Perhaps my music will start playing for you, too, if you start doing dramatic things around me. We'll have to try very hard to be casual and average on the way home.

Do you think it'll snow soon? I imagine we'll likely have a heat wave sometime this winter, the way we always do, but I think we're likely to have the snow before that, at least.

video;

[elegantcontract.livejournal.com]

I see. It seems as though it's just another way to mess with us--though that notion isn't exactly reassuring. Perhaps we should take the annoying music and be happy for it.

video;

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It does help to look on the bright side of things, yes. After all, things could be much worse than a bit of music over a paper cut, or a bit of slowly combing one's hair.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I think your music will start playing for me if you do something dramatic and I happen to be there.

I'm not sure--it usually snows come December. And, yes, I suspect we will have a heat wave sometime in the winter, but we'll probably have snow first.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, I've been stuck listening to it all day, so it's really only fair that I inflict some of it on you, too, don't you think? So I suppose I'll just have to think up something suitably dramatic to do around you while I finish up here.

It'll be a bit before we can start going skating on the ice again, then. But it's something to look forward to, anyway!

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I suppose, though I don't see why I should have to suffer when you're the one who's cursed. Really, if you could keep from doing anything dramatic, you could avoid this problem entirely.

It will be quite a little while before then, yes.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

If that's the case, then why don't I just keep from doing anything at all today, and that'll solve the problem for itself?

I'll have to make do with my Rollerblades, then, if I want to go skating before then. But that's quite all right, I like that just as well.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I rather wonder if you'd be able to do that, Rosella. I don't think I could ever imagine you not doing anything at all.

Yes, I suppose you will have to, and I hope you'll be careful on them too, of course.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I suppose I'm about as good at not doing anything as I am at staying out of trouble, really. Though the two rather do go hand-in-hand most of the time, anyway.

Oh, I always am. I have special gloves to wear, even, to keep my wrists safe while I do it.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

In your situation, Rosella, I'm afraid they rather do go hand-in-hand with one another. I suppose it's just your way of going about things.

Then you sound quite prepared for it--I'm glad to hear it.

audio;

[treadingdawn.livejournal.com]

Rosella? What happened?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, at least I'm getting better about taking care of myself before it all gets out of hand. Or trying to, anyway. Did I tell you I've been having lessons to learn to use a sword?

audio;

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, I cut my finger on the page, Caspian. It does sting a bit, but it's really nothing to worry about, fortunately.

audio;

[treadingdawn.livejournal.com]

But what are you singing?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Have you, indeed? No, I don't think you told me. Is it going well?

audio;

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[Pause. Sigh.]

That's not me, I'm afraid. That's--er, some sort of music that's been following me around all day today. It's very dramatic, don't you think?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Oh, er--yes and no, I suppose. I can't come close to beating my teacher yet, but I have a very skilled teacher, so that's only to be expected, really. Blue was always very good with a sword, you know, and it was always reassuring to know that...well, that he was there, and that he could. And now that he's not anymore, I rather thought I ought to try to learn a bit, myself.

[had_not_lived]

I'm so confused by today...

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

You're certainly not the only one, Neil.