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Post by Copper on May 17, 2015 23:17:40 GMT
Judas's anger ebbs a bit at her apology. He leans in the doorway, arms crossed. "Judas Carreiro. Yours?"
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Post by Silaluk on May 17, 2015 23:22:21 GMT
"Victoria. Victoria Harlow," she answers, kneeling to reach out to Jacob. She keeps an eye on Judas, however. It doesn't take a genius to know you shouldn't turn your back on someone you've just met. "Where exactly are you from? I haven't heard many names like that."
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Post by Copper on May 17, 2015 23:26:15 GMT
"Colonies. And not the ones of this country, either."
Jacob approached her, sniffing at her hand curiosity before giving it a slobbery lick. "This one isn't bad," he barked at Judas. "She doesn't really smell a whole lot like magic, though."
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Post by Silaluk on May 17, 2015 23:54:26 GMT
"I can tell," Victoria deadpans at his response, but she doesn't question him further. Instead, she smiles at Jacob and pats his head. "So, about all this..." She gestures at the automata. "You are a magician? Or a mechanic?"
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Post by Copper on May 17, 2015 23:55:37 GMT
"Both," he answered curtly. "And it has always been my mission to make the two into one."
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Post by Silaluk on May 17, 2015 23:59:58 GMT
"My father also," she says after a moment. "Of course, the moment he was able to put his plans into action, he was caught." Victoria stands and lets out a breath. "But I'm not here to bore you with my life story."
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 0:03:26 GMT
"What are you here to do, then?"
Jacob snorted from where he was. "Was that your awkward way of trying to flirt?"
The glare that Judas gave his dog would have been enough to melt through steel.
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 0:09:14 GMT
Victoria gives him an almost smug smile. "To look around this dump, if you don't mind giving me a tour," she answers, secretly pleased with herself for getting what she'd asked for, even if it had taken a close encounter with the law.
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 0:11:54 GMT
"If it's such a dump, why would you want a tour through it, then?" He didn't get angry this time. Instead, he sounded vaguely amused by the younger girl.
Jacob chuckled at the two to himself. "Yeah. I think he's trying to flirt. Gross."
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 0:20:19 GMT
"Because I want to know more about these things. How do you make them? What do they do? What kind of magic do you put into them?" She looks down at the workbench and all the tools and parts that were scattered across it. They look strikingly similar to the ones her father used to use. The ones that were confiscated when he was taken away.
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 0:29:09 GMT
He followed her gaze, snorting when he saw the workbench. "That? Those things are just for show. Satisfies any lingering curiosity in shoppers. The real magic happens behind that door." He nodded over at the heavy oak door that had been shut with four heavy locks.
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 0:36:01 GMT
"Oh. They don't look like they'd be very hard to pick," Victoria says simply. "The locks, that is. Even if they were magic." She clears her throat, turning back to Judas. "Anyway, do you think you could show me?" she asks, unable to hide some of her excitement.
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 0:44:25 GMT
He gave her a sideways glance. "Promise to stop calling the old place a dump?"
Jacob's tail began to wag nervously. "Boss... w-what are you doing, letting her in the lab...?" What if he does something he regrets because he's all starry eyed?! Did he really miss human contact this much? He doesn't even look sleepy anymore!
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 0:50:09 GMT
She rolls her eyes in mock reluctance, but nods. "I promise. Though you could clean things up a bit in here."
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 0:55:39 GMT
"I've been gone for a week, of course there's going to be dust." He bent down and closed his eyes, hands slowly trailing over the four locks. In the quiet of the shop, there was a click, click, click, click, and the door swung open.
"Boss," Jacob growled in warning. "Boss, I don't know what she's doing to make you stop thinking, but it ain't good..."
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 1:02:32 GMT
Victoria reaches down to pat Jacob on the head and stroke his ears. Watching the door swing open is almost like when she was small and her father would give her a few coins to go and buy something at the candy shop. She would get there before it opened and the owner would always smile and let her in. Her desire for knowledge is no different than it was for sweets all those years ago.
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 1:17:30 GMT
Judas strode inside, letting out a low-pitched whistle. Floating orbs along the roof lit themselves, giving the room a watery, greenish light. It was a rather large area, with many work benches and tables boasting his latest projects. On one was a small, copper-colored automaton shaped like a goat, which had a panel on it's back pried open and emptied of the delicate gears and wires. On another was a miniature puppet theater, nearly complete, with a handle on the side to wind it up and make the brass puppets dance across a sliver stage. Along the other wall was a large structure of connected vials and glass jars, each filled with it's own aromatic liquid. Surrounding it were journals and notebooks, covered in scribbled shorthand and diagrams of magical circles. Chalk was kept in a large, dusty jar at the far end of the room, next to a small bed that looked as if it were hastily shoved there as an afterthought. It was covered in notes and journals also, as well as scattered writing instruments and bits of machinery.
Judas turned to his guest, eyebrows raised. "So. What do you think?"
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 1:28:35 GMT
"It's...incredible," she breathes, trying to take it all in. Only her father's old laboratory rivaled this. The space is small, no doubt, but it's cozy in a way. Victoria examines each unfinished project and prototype, wishing desperately to take them apart and see how they work. The smell of machine oil and potions is almost comforting, despite their clashing odors. She turns to Judas, smiling. "It's truly impressive. And I don't give out compliments on a whim."
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Post by Copper on May 18, 2015 1:35:23 GMT
"I noticed," he replied, grabbing a bit of metal and a few wires and playing with them in his hands. "It does have to be incredible. It's what's keeping my family and I with bread on the table."
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Post by Silaluk on May 18, 2015 1:40:53 GMT
Victoria nods understandingly. She knows what it's like to have to work in order to live. "I see you live here too," she observes, throwing a glance at the small bed. "From what I gather, you've left your family behind, yeah?"
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