[Video]

[la_belle_rogue]

[Hello, Barge. There's another new face here, one with green eyes and brown hair with white bangs. She smiles, and it's friendly and warm. The voice is all magnolias and honey.]

Not much in the way of orientation 'round here, is there? S'all right. Ah'm no stranger ta jumpin' in the deep end right off. Sorta reminds me of the first day of school.

Mah name's Rogue. Ah'm here as a Warden. Ah'm still settlin' in, but Ah figure Ah'll take a full look around the place here in a bit, get mah bearin's. If anyone feels like playin' tour guide, Ah wouldn't object either.

Comments

[la_belle_rogue]

Alright, then. Nice ta meet ya, Billy. Ya been here long?

[composited]

[ Something was going wrong; there was a jump when he came back to the screen, a twitch, but then he was smooth as honey and twice as sweet. ]

Too long, darlin', too long.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

[Oh, she noticed that. It makes her curious.]

Sorry ta hear that. Ya part of the Make a Wish Foundation or Work Release?

[Private]

[composited]

Does it matter, sugar?

[ He notices the change, and twitches. The accent drops; he sounds much less South, far more West. ]

He's talking to you, isn't he? My handler.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Yeah, he decided to say hi. [She acts like this is hardly a big deal.] So should Ah actually call ya Billy, or would that be inaccurate?

[Private]

[composited]

Depends on what part of me you're talking to. He's here, same with the rest.

I'm Alpha.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

[A look crosses her face at how he says it, sort of curious and concerned, but something about how he phrased that sounds really familiar.]

Alpha. [Just a brief acknowledgement and then she moves on to the real question.] What d'ya mean by that? About him and "the rest"?

[Private]

[composited]

I'm people. A composite being. Made of many personalities, histories and skills.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

[The pause is significant, because she needs to process that.]

Ah apologize, cuz nothin' Ah have ta say sounds like the thing just now. Ah'd...really like ta talk t'ya about this in depth though, if ya ever were willin'.

[Private]

[composited]

Would you? [ Not the reaction he expected. ]

I think I can make time in my busy, busy schedule.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Whenever's convenient for ya. Though Ah gotta ask if Ah should be concerned 'bout meetin' up with ya face ta face. [She doesn't look at all concerned.] Yer warden says Ah shouldn't get within swingin' distance when you're in a mood.

[Private]

[composited]

It'll all depend on what you're looking for.

...does the word 'Dollhouse' mean anything to you?

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Not beyond the kind ya see in toy stores.

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

Um.

Hi.


My name is Ned. You don't know who I am. We don't know...each other.

I'm Billy'sssss.....Alpha's warden.

It might not be best to, um. Engage him in anything other than strict phone conversation right now.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

[She takes this message in stride, seemingly utterly unfazed.]

Hi there, Ned. Wanna gimme a little more information there? Just so Ah know what Ah'm into.

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

He's um.

Violent.

Can be violent. Likes knives, likes the sound knives make when they go into people, you know how it goes, he gets excited, someone's cutlery goes missing, he starts wanting to get some practice in for carving up a Thanksgiving turkey...


Sorry. Too graphic?

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Ah've heard worse. So he's violent and likes knives. Is there more ta this story? Cuz if that's all there is ta it, Ah got friends back home with the same tendencies and they're not bad folk.

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

Alpha's not bad. He's badly put together but he's not bad.

Just.


I don't...know if this is one of his good days or his bad days. And if it's a bad day I'd rather not risk anything.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Ned darlin', Ah understand the sentiment, but you're not givin' me much ta go on. Are there things Ah should say?

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

Just don't get within knifing distance.


Other than that, treat him like a person.


Albeit a person who about 65% of the time wants to stab you.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Gotcha. Just another day then.

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

Do your days normally include random potential stabbings?

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Not always stabbin's, no.

[Private]

[deadly_ned]

I hate to be the sort of person who assumes someone else's situation before getting to know them, but if I could make a cursory, off-the-cuff first impression, that impression would be that you're going to fit right at home here on the Barge.

[Private]

[la_belle_rogue]

Ah don't know if Ah should say thanks or feel offended by that statement, Ned. [She's smiling though, which means she's teasing.]