touch me i'm cold

[jondrette]

CHARACTERS: Éponine Thénardier, and whomever wants to join her!
LOCATION: Here, there, everywhere.
WARNINGS: To be updated as needed.
SUMMARY: It's been a few months since Éponine arrived on the ship. And she still has no idea what to do with herself.
NOTES: Open! Come play! Want a specific starter? Let me know and I can toss one up.


Over the course of the month, Eponine can be found just about anywhere on the ship. From laying about in the Oxygen Gardens, to exploring (despite advice to the contrary). Perhaps you'll find her there, or sitting in the bar, drinking space booze. Maybe you even decide to venture into her apartment and say hello to the strange girl from Paris.

Comments

[but_civilization]

Combeferre is making a rare appearance, and actually leaving his room for someone other than Jehan, which is rather remarkable in itself. Since Enjolras had vanished, he's been spending increasing time there, or sometimes in the media library, in the quieter hours where he can grab material and go. He's determined to prepare for confronting Smiley, and, after losing Enjolras, has been fueling a lot of obsession into it, ignoring practically everything else going on around him.

That said, eventually, even Combeferre needs some amount of caffeine, and, perhaps one might suggest food or sleep, or something other than starring at a wall, or dead moths when he's not reading. It' to that end, having recognized it himself, that Combeferre has gone to the kitchens to obtain coffee, and, making his way back from one of the kitchens, manages to cross paths with a now familiar mademoiselle.

"Eponine." He greets her, mustering a smile, because his melancholy is certainly not her fault. "How have you settled in here?"

[jondrette]

"Michel!" She responds in kind, her smile just as bright as his. "As well as can be expected. I wish I had better news to report. This place is still large and I hardly know where to begin. I have been warned by Jean and Reynaud not to explore, and have likewise warned Gavroche, yet, I wish to know where I am when I find myself in one place or another. It's a beautiful ship. Filled with wonders and marvels. And the books! Oh, there are so many! I do love to read, you see. Though I was often robbed of it, in life."

When she's in a decent mood, she can talk for hours. "And you! It has been some time since we have spoken."

[but_civilization]

"Well, reading is one thing that there is plenty of on the Tranquility." Combeferre answers, warming to the conversation when it turns to books. "I think I spent my first few months nearly living in the libraries here. It was quite overwhelming, trying to keep up with all that I'd managed to miss between my time and...whatever year of the future that we are in. I am not certain of their calendar."

Here is someone who he hasn't bored with constant recitations of the things he's read and learned, but he holds back for now, not wanting to seem as if he's trying to patronize someone who did not have the opportunities he did.

"I am glad then, that you are able to read now. If all was as it should be, no one would be denied such."

Reading, education, after all, are power. Combeferre has always believed that,but here, in a world where things can change so rapidly, he's seen how knowledge of any sort of thing can be both freedom and protection at the same time. And then a thought occurs to him.

"Do you know, I've made up a list of titles here I've found to be interesting, that I've already pressed on Jehan. I could send you the same if you would like it?"

[jondrette]

"Then I shall have plenty to do! Time is strange here, without the sun, but only stars. It makes it easy to remain awake for some time. Or to sleep for days on end." She fell into step with Combeferre.

"Now? Oh, no, you are wrong. I have always been able to read." She beams with pride. Never very good, no, but she's gotten better. "And I know my letters as well!" For a woman of her age, in her time, it was quite an accomplishment indeed.

She pauses. "A list? Yes I should like to see that. Though I fear we may find different things interesting. I like stories, you see."

[but_civilization]

"I've not seen anything like it before, I admit. I think it's beyond the ideas of anyone in our time, though I've found a few writers from early in the next century who speculated on when men would reach the stars." This meant that among the academic works, he'd also stumbled onto Verne, Wells, and a few others.

"Ah, I had only meant that here, you have time to pursue it." He explained, not wishing to have caused her any offense. "Though, come to that, it is unusual that a woman not of the church was taught. I wish more people had been, then. It would have made a good many things better."

Perhaps letters alone would not have fed anyone, no, but knowing them could lead the way to jobs with better pays, and, in that case, it added up to Combeferre at least.

"Oh good then." And here, he's pausing, to eyedart a little. "I will tell you the truth, I like many of those that I've found here as well. I do read things other than academic works from time to time."

Rest assured, however, that his penchant for trashy novels, especially trashy young adult novels will not be passed on.

[jondrette]

"How curious! Perhaps these will be on our list, and I shall read them, as well." She nods, quite happy with this thought.

"My father taught me on his knee- I sat there often, as a child, to help him look over books. I wished to know what they said, and he told me. It was how I learned my numbers, as well." And, surprisingly, she was very good at them as well.

Thenardier, of course, had continued her education when they relocated to Paris, finding it useful to have a daughter that could read and write. It made communicating with others of ill-repute much easier.

"Do you! Then I should like to read them all the more." No, give her trashy young adult novels. Seriously.

[but_civilization]

"I can recommend some, yes. I came across them rather unexpectedly, so things were a bit odd, but there IS something of an order that makes much more sense." Combeferre promised, though, honestly, his idea of the future had been a bit skewed by some of the things he'd started reading.

"Your father was quite wise in that, I think." Combeferre could not have said much for the things Thenardier had done after that, from what little he had heard or guessed, but he could say that for certain at least.

"Excellent." Well, perhaps. He could probably admit his fondness for things like that to Eponine and not be judged so much for it.

[jondrette]

"Something of an order, that would be quite helpful," she says, already imagining what sort of things the future holds. Considering she was on a ship sailing through the stars, she was sure anything was truly possible.

"In that," she agreed. Thenardier was not a good man. And his children had been raised likewise.

Oh good. Books were on the menu. "I look forward to this list of yours."

[but_civilization]

The future has the sort of madness that lead to Combeferre's attempting too many things at once for a while, and he still finds so much of it hard to believe.

"I can certainly do that. It was odd, at first, reading about something like this ship, that I had no idea of, yet. It made so much more sense when I was able to put them into something of a context, yes. I am glad that you like to read. Sometimes it seems among our friends that Jehan and I are the only ones. It does get lonely."

[fe_male]

Tony, too, likes to explore. He's uncomfortable in a new area until he can feel as though he's either got his bearings, or he's got a reliable method of maintaining them if he doesn't, and right now he seems to have neither. His progress isn't at all hampered by the idea that 'reliable' typically means 'built by himself', and apparently there's a bit of a... whole thing with that to be set off to the side for later. He's still not sure what to do about all of that, this odd duplicate thing that apparently exists. Well, not a duplicate. Except, yes, a duplicate. All things considered, he rather hated it.

But still. Exploring, getting bearings. He wasn't expecting to bump into someone else who appeared to be attempting much the same thing.

Well, not literally bump, but still. "So are you lost or meandering?"

[jondrette]

The quick comment by the man, who, truth be told, Eponine had not expected to actually speak to her, caught her attention, bringing her to a stand-still next to him. Handsome, she decided right away. Handsome, and what appeared to be friendly.

But you could never be sure. Not entirely.

"Why not both?" Is the response Tony gets from her. "And you, m'sieur?"

[fe_male]

She seemed a little startled that he'd decided to open up a thread of conversation, which was fine, you know, not everybody's a busybody. Some people like to metaphorically bump and go, not bump and grind up some sort of conversation.

But now he had, and she seemed receptive after the initial whatever-that-counted-as, and it wasn't as though Tony actually had anything better to do. Locals were just as much a method of getting your bearings as the locale itself.

So he shrugs slightly, nods his head a little in agreement. "Definitely both. I'm gonna say it was on purpose though - journey is the destination, all that bumper sticker hype." He does note, though, she doesn't act like she knows him already, and hasn't thought to kindly inform him that he has two eyes.

[jondrette]

He speaks as though he's one of those that Combeferre would call "Modern". That is to say, from a time far in the future from her own. His easy-going nature only furthered that belief.

"Both it is, then," she said, returning his nod. "We will explore together." There is no room for argument. "Perhaps we will discover something new and wonderful. But- what is a bumper sticker hype?" It was important to her. She hated feeling ignorant, and had to ask what precisely it was. Maybe it was really important to know. Or... not.

[fe_male]

Tony smiled a little, because hey, as far as first impressions went, she was making a pretty good one. He could do with an exploring buddy.

As for the question, he waves it off a bit. "Sentence filler. Little phrases that are guaranteed to make you feel clever and piss off other people in thirty characters or less. Probably piss you off too in the process, since you have to basically ride someone's ass to read the things." But he's glanced around as well. "Which way were you going?"

[jondrette]

That gets a frown from Eponine. "It is a cruel thing, m'sieur, to, when someone asks you what something is, to use other words and concepts that they do not understand. Ride someone's ass? Are they a donkey?" You'll have to forgive her, Tony, the poor girl died in 1832.

"I was hoping to find the end to this hall," Eponine said, then gestured towards where Tony had come from. "But if you have gone that way, I see no reason to return there."

[fe_male]

Okay now at that he does pause, because that wasn't actually the intention, he just wasn't thinking when he spoke. He's not going to apologize for it, but he will at least pause to explain it again, because she seems nice and while normally he wouldn't really bother with this, he does at least have the presence of mind to be aware that on a spaceship, there are a limited number of people, and he can't just piss them all off at random when he might need them later. It's selfishness, really, and forethought, that have him backtracking over his words, because otherwise he would have just steamrolled on.

And he might anyway, if this doesn't work. "It didn't mean anything, I was just talking. 'Riding someone's ass' when you're talking about cars, and bumper stickers go on cars, means you're too close to them. Okay?" Hopefully the answer is yes, because that's all you're going to get out of him for that.

He continues. "Yeah, there's nothing particularly interesting back that way, unless you like some dust and bathrooms. This way then?"

[jondrette]

While she appreciates the explanation, Eponine still frowns. "And a car?" She's glad he's happy to explain, and she knows all too well the sensations of simply talking without saying anything. Sometimes, it was all she could do. The only way anyone would pay attention to her, except when they wouldn't. She so easily slipped into the background, it was both a blessing, and a curse.

She nods. "I will confess, bathrooms are a wonder to me- I particularly enjoy showers!- but we will go wherever you please. The other way, away from the dust and bathrooms. Come!" She turns, starting back the way she came.

[aeipathos]

To say that the entirety of his acclimation to the new surroundings was behind him would be laughable. Even if half of it were behind him, he might feel somewhat at ease, but as it stood... There was so much to take in, so much to learn. Beyond the fact that several people claimed not to be from France and yet had no issues communicating was one thing, but the machinery and the - not magic, but close enough to it for his own descriptions. A placeholder, of sorts. He was by no means a dumb man, but where he had at least previously felt educated on those topics he cared to remain up-to-date on, now he was out of every single element he could possibly have had. What anyone would want with someone so out of touch with all of this, he didn't know.

There were a few things that were blessedly familiar, at least. People remained similar in their habits and their behaviours, even if at first they appeared radically different. They wanted similar things, once those things and wants were boiled down. The basics were familiar enough.

And there was alcohol. Again, different than that to which he was accustomed, but it would suffice just the same. Generally he enjoys drinking alone, or can be coaxed into joining his friends - whom he has parted from for the moment, just to walk about on his own and feel as though he has a little agency. In truth, they are far more familiar with this place already, and he feels the need to catch up without forcing them into some sort of constant chaperone. But drinking alone will not help him, and he spies someone else who appears to be doing the same but perhaps would not be averse to company.

"Do you mind if I join you, mademoiselle?" he says, when he is close enough to be clearly addressing her but not yet actually at the table, potentially a looming presence.

[jondrette]

Eponine was quite used to drinking alone. Be it from lack of company, or from lack of desire for company, she was far more used to it than enjoying a drink with anyone. Of course, her friends here now would drink with her, but they were off doing other such things. Briefly, she had considered trying to track down Bahorel, or even Remus to join her, but in the end, the desire for solitude won out.

Sitting down, she had been enjoying watching her surroundings as she drank from a mug of what was close enough to ale. It was out of the corner of her eye that she noticed a man approach her, but she did not turn to him until he spoke, requesting to join her.

"You speak French!" is actually the first thing she says, beaming up at him. "Of course, m'sieur! Sit!" She gestures to the chair nearest to her.

[aeipathos]

Her enthusiasm isn't quite infectious, because he doesn't go in for that sort of thing, but he does lift one side of his mouth both in greeting and in thanks, stepping forward enough to pull out a chair opposite and sitting down. "Not many do on this ship, as far as I have noticed." He paused long enough to drink from his own glass and then set it on the table.

"Which part of France are you from?"

[jondrette]

"I have only known my brother and our friends that we arrived with to speak French," she says with a soft smile, before taking her own drink. "I was born in Montfermeil, but we moved to Paris when I was still young. And you, m'sieur?"

[aeipathos]

"Two of my compatriots are here as well; they should suffice your francophone needs." He situates his accouterments a bit more comfortably - he still isn't used to the idea of the ship's uniform and prefers to wear his own clothes, even if they are slowly proving to be somewhat unwieldy in this environment. "I am - was, stationed in Paris as well, but we go where the King goes."

[jondrette]

Eponine herself tries to avoid the uniform. She is more comfortable in the dresses she was gifted by her dear friends. The tightness of the uniform is difficult for a girl who is used to things that are far more free-flowing, as her rags in Paris had been.

"The King!" She leans forward, intrigued by this. "You help him, then. Do not tell that to my friends, they dislike the King on principal. And Bonaparte as well."

[aeipathos]

That gets her a slight incline of his head. He's not sure who Bonaparte is, but he will leave it for the moment. "I serve in the King's Musketeers." Privately, he would concede that it is quite possible to dislike the King on principle, and potentially even more possible after one gets to know him, but. While Athos considers the King to be somewhat annoying and childlike at times, he would truthfully say that he doesn't actively dislike the man. More often than not he is simply annoyed by him, but it isn't difficult to see that Louis is not actually a bad person. Easier still when one can directly contrast him with the Cardinal.

Now there is someone Athos takes the time and energy to actively dislike, even as he respects the man for his skill and cunning. "I believe it is French tradition, of a sort, to dislike the reigning monarch on principle."

[jondrette]

"The musketeers! Why- they were disbanded! Before I was born! If you are old, m'sieur, you wear your age very well, for you are quite handsome." She gives him a slight smile, before moving to have another drink.

"Perhaps it is. The men that come from the same moments that I did, they certainly would agree. It was, after all, at their barricades that I met my death." She states it plainly- her death was something she had expected and welcomed. Even orchestrated, to a degree.