Vastra (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eversohungry) wrote2013-03-10 10:49 pm
eversohungry) wrote2013-03-10 10:49 pm
[Action/Video] Transmission 003 - In Which Vastra Returns
[By Vastra's reckoning, years have passed. Her position at Scotland Yard has been elevated considerably, and in addition her little inner circle has expanded to a veritable 'Gang' of sorts. She and Jenny were married and happy, the Doctor had some of his familiar spark back, and yet...]
[Vastra leaves the woods, her hat veil trailing behind her as she carries it in her hand. Luceti, again. Warmer this time, thankfully, however it was not a welcome sight.]
[Not much seems to have changed, though upon her return to Luceti Vastra regrets leaving behind the few friends she had made. Natasha, Mr. Barnes, Miss Amelia, and Loki to name a few. However life went on and it went at a very quick clip after her return. Now those feelings of regret were resurfacing. Part of her wonders if they escaped, and hopes they did. Part of her feels slightly deflated that should they be gone, she would have to start completely over. This time with the knowledge that her wife was missing her, not just her paramour.]
[She walks down into the village, the path still familiar, repositioning the black hat and veil over her face. She takes it in, as much as she can, and feels very uneasy when she gets the sense that the changes she sees are extremely superficial...]
[When she arrives at the room she had, there is plastic over the furniture--and though the clothes and personal items are gone, it appears the heavier things never moved. Vastra pulls the cover off her familiar chair, sits, and opens her journal.]
((Video))
Is there anyone here who recalls seeing me a few years ago? I realize this is most likely a strange message, however as unsettling as Luceti is, little seems to have changed since my departure. I suppose this is simply the nature of this place?
[Vastra leaves the woods, her hat veil trailing behind her as she carries it in her hand. Luceti, again. Warmer this time, thankfully, however it was not a welcome sight.]
[Not much seems to have changed, though upon her return to Luceti Vastra regrets leaving behind the few friends she had made. Natasha, Mr. Barnes, Miss Amelia, and Loki to name a few. However life went on and it went at a very quick clip after her return. Now those feelings of regret were resurfacing. Part of her wonders if they escaped, and hopes they did. Part of her feels slightly deflated that should they be gone, she would have to start completely over. This time with the knowledge that her wife was missing her, not just her paramour.]
[She walks down into the village, the path still familiar, repositioning the black hat and veil over her face. She takes it in, as much as she can, and feels very uneasy when she gets the sense that the changes she sees are extremely superficial...]
[When she arrives at the room she had, there is plastic over the furniture--and though the clothes and personal items are gone, it appears the heavier things never moved. Vastra pulls the cover off her familiar chair, sits, and opens her journal.]
((Video))
Is there anyone here who recalls seeing me a few years ago? I realize this is most likely a strange message, however as unsettling as Luceti is, little seems to have changed since my departure. I suppose this is simply the nature of this place?
Re: [voice/filtered] -> [Action]
Vastra? [She tries to cover up the lingering remnants of shock as she holds out a hand.] I'm Pepper. It's nice to meet you in person.
[Action]
[She smiles and collapses her parasol, then takes Pepper's hand and squeezes it before letting her hand drop.] Yes, a pleasure. I do appreciate the help--I confess the last time I was here I did not make much use of the Welcome Center. Had I known I could enlist help with my furniture I would have come by.
Re: [Action]
[Pepper motions to the door then.] Whenever you're ready, we can get started.
Re: [Action]
Ah, of course, I wouldn't want to keep you all day. Let's get started. [Vastra leads the way into the shop, reacquainting herself with the piles and piles of mostly odd clothing. She pauses, biting her lip slightly as she scans.] I had almost forgotten how much there is in here.
Re: [Action]
[Pepper looks around as well; she has some idea of what Vastra might wear thanks to her current outfit, but lizard women in Victorian-era clothing is still a hard idea to resolve in her mind.]
The village has about three hundred people at any given time—though that still feels like a small number until you start a task like this, I suppose.
Re: [Action]
[She looks around the store briefly, then sighs and starts walking through the shelves and aisles, looking carefully. A few times she reaches out to pick up a sleeve or touch the fabric.]
Well, this isn't anything that can't be pleasant with the right sort of distraction. What was your business, Pepper?
Re: [Action]
Technological innovation. Most recently Stark Industries had focused on advancements in clean energy with promising success. We had constructed a building in Manhattan which was powered by a self-sustaining source. [There's a ghost of a smile on Pepper's lips as she talks about it. It had been an achievement to be proud of, despite the alien invasion that followed.
She follows after Vastra, keeping to the opposite side of the row. After a few steps more she pauses to pull out a shirt with a similar style to what Vastra currently wears.] What about this one?
Re: [Action]
Yeah, well... wibbly wobbly.][Vastra nods, clearly understanding what 'clean energy' and 'self-sustaining source' mean.] How wonderful. New York does seem to be the center of innovation, even when I am from. And you oversaw this project?
[Vastra looks over at the indicated shirt and nods with a smile.] Yes, that looks right. Really I suppose anything with a collar and long sleeves is acceptable. Just not... [Vastra frowns and pulls out something that is vaguely shirt-shaped.]
...nothing like this. Is this a shirt?
Re: [Action]
Timey wimey...stuff.From the business end, yes. The technological aspects were actually done by my business partner and boyfriend. Tony's work with the arc reactor is unparalleled. [And there's no small note of pride in her voice when Pepper says it. It had been the greatest contribution Stark Industries made to the market in decades, or so went Pepper's opinion.
Pepper carefully drapes the shirt over her arm once she gets Vastra's approval. She has to stop and grin, however, when the woman holds up an interesting blue number.]
Technically, although it's more of an accessory. Meant to be worn with some other covering beneath it.
If you don't mind me asking, just when are you from?
Re: [Action]
[Skirt approved. Moving on...] What exactly is an 'arc reactor', if you don't mind my asking. [She smiles.]
Re: [Action]
I did get that impression somehow. [Pepper grins a bit as she agrees that it's clear Vastra is something over than average.]
Well, as I said, it's a self-sustaining energy source. The technology was originally developed by Tony's father Howard, but Tony's taken it far beyond the original design. Before we were brought here, we had completed construction on a high-rise that can be run for at least a year without any cost to the city thanks to the arc reactor.
Re: [Action]
I suppose, given you are in charge of the business side, that you have answered these same questions over and over again. I hate to be dull.
Re: [Action]
Oh, it's fine. I should apologize if my answers come off as too formal and press-ready. [It's not the best tone for casual conversation, after all. But it's an easy frame of mind for Pepper to slip into, even after the time she's spent in Luceti.]
Re: [Action]
And to be quite frank, assuming humanity has not moved much beyond allowing women to at least manufacture their own undergarments, it is quite necessary to exude an air of competence and be knowledgeable.
Re: [Action]
Oh, do you deal with the public too?
[It’s a fair question. Maybe in Vastra’s world it’s not at all unusual for lizard people to be walking around in Victorian London.]
Well, I can’t say that we live in a perfectly equal society where I’m from. [A dry grin plays over her lips, because yes, Pepper has experienced her share of backlash, particularly from those who think she slept her way to the top of Stark Industries rather than earned it.] But we have made some significant improvements.
Re: [Action]
I'm glad to hear it. I felt I had gone backwards in time between the start of human history and 1883. But we all make our own way in the world, regardless of the times we live in.
Re: [Action]
[A lizard woman operating outside the law. Somehow that’s easier to believe than what comes next, which has Pepper doing a double take.] Wait…did you say the start of human history? [Or rather, had she just said it in a way that implies Vastra has been around that long.]
Re: [Action]
[Vastra is liking how Pepper seems to be picking up everything she's dropping. It makes it easier to know what to discuss and what to leave out.] Yes. When I was younger, I lived in an age before human dominance of the planet. But, well, nothing lasts forever as they say. I went into hibernation to avoid the end of the world and woke up about sixty-five million years later. I didn't expect to sleep quite so long, but there you have it. [Oh, this is one of her bodices, excellent.]
Re: [Action]
[A little harder to grasp is the idea that Vastra is apparently tens of millions years old, even if she hasn't consciously experienced all of it. The technicality doesn't really help the notion settle, and Pepper stops where she stands, staring at the lizard woman in shock without realizing she's doing it.]
That's...that's a really long time.
Re: [Action]
Too long, as I said. If you can imagine falling asleep and waking up as the last human on Earth, you might feel the same. My kind's science did save my life, but I wouldn't say that it was a completely smooth transition.
Re: [Action]
So you’re alone. [Though Vastra says it mildly, Pepper can’t imagine how hard that realization must have been.] I'm sorry.
Re: [Action]
...Well it was. [She sorts through a few more shirts.]
Re: [Action]
Well, you’ve started making friends here now. So I don’t think you’ll be lonely for very long.
Re: [Action]
Re: [Action]
Well, I think Luceti might be one of the best places to be if you want your sense of reality to be pushed. Every time you think you’ve gotten a handle on things, something new happens to surprise you.
Re: [Action]
Re: [Action]