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[deathpending]

Good evening. I am Dr. Jonathan Reid, of London, England. I arrived here as I imagine many of you did, through those ghastly eggs.

Should you need a field surgeon or a physician's services, I offer both freely. You may find me in the infirmary or reach me through these devices. I regret that I have no resume or other prior reference to offer, only that I served in the War, and I'm accustomed to making do with very little.

Thank you for your time.

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[skagzz]

MARVELOUS DARLING

[ Tina is already in town avoiding the dreaded school. She does not bother checking what Reid looks like or sharing what she looks like before she starts wandering toward the Aid Station, but she is loud enough that he will probably recognize her, er, distinct speech patterns as she yells at some passerby. ]

[deathpending]

[ In fairness, he doesn't ask. Jonathan assumes that such a character will.... make an impression, if they're outside the aid station. ]

[ To his credit, he isn't exactly wrong. Out the door he arrives, still in tailor-made clothes, a long coat, only missing his scarf, and finds her because.. of course, dawg. ]

Lady Tina, I presume?

[ Lightly, as a pleasant in-joke. ]

[skagzz]

[ Tina has in all honesty forgotten she introduced herself that way and is DELIGHTED that Jonathan has addressed her so formally.

She has absolutely forgotten his name already. ]

Indubitably, good sir. Dr. Livingston, I presume?

[ Tina has no idea where this quote is from but she spent A LOT of time on the EchoNet. She holds her hand out as if to be kissed but then starts moving the fingers like she's mimicking a spider.

If Jonathan has not put it together already, she is very clearly a 13-year-old. ]

[deathpending]

[ Yes, much of the confusion experienced over text has simply vanished in person. It is easier to forgive a child, and to indulge a child particular things. He wasn't given the chance to spoil his nephew, but remembers what his sister was like when they were children, still a lovely memory, despite the grey that clings to thoughts of Mary, in recent hours. ]

Ah, no. That would be the explorer. I am Dr. Reid, but you may call me Jonathan.

[ ... He isn't sure if this act includes kissing her hand, and instead, wiggles his fingers back at her, similarly. ]

[skagzz]

[ Tina moves her wriggling fingers closer to his and makes a "woogidty woogidty woogidty" mouth garable sound like this. ]

My witch's spell is complete. Now we are officially a posse, Señor Jonathan. [ She pronounces his name with a Spanish accent, specifically northern Mexican -- Truxican on her world. ]

[deathpending]

[ .... Okay, he can do this. He got turned into a vampire, compared to that, this feels like it should be easier...? ]

Members of the same club! Very well. Is tea our ultimate objective?

[skagzz]

tea CAKES.

[ Tina spreads her arms and cackles. ]

Shall we procure them or make them, Joñy? [ Pronounced like "yawny" ]

[deathpending]

Tea cakes! A tall order.

[ He very much doubts they will find anything of the kind, but it feels harmless to indulge. Just as much as nostalgia descends on him swiftly, playing any of these silly games with Mary. ]

I'm no baker, so we will have to procure them.

[skagzz]

Alright, homes. We got two options: raid the kitchens, or run reconnaissance on the big ol' ship the people crashed then STRANGELY ABANDONED.

I got explosives for both.

[ The latter is a serious suggestion. Tina has no concept that blowing things up is not a great first solutions. ]

[deathpending]

[ HOLD UP ]

Explosives?

[ HOLD UP!!!! ]

Truly?

[ He makes it a curious question rather than a direct condemnation — where on earth did she get explosives? Did she make them???? Heaven forbid. ]

[skagzz]

Son, I'm Pandora's foremost demolitions EXPERTRICE. I blown up trains and buildings and people and sometimes just sparkly rocks because then they turn into glitter.

[ She counts on her fingers like she's listing off ice cream flavors. ]

[deathpending]

[ Whatever or whomever Pandora is is getting a very stern talking to. (Jon does not like to jump to the "I will suck out all your blood and kill you" option, that IS a bit rude.) ]

By yourself? That's quite a feat!

[ He does find it fascinating, and is going to keep any revulsion to himself, thanks. ]

[skagzz]

[ Tina is used to adults either being HORRIFIED by her, or immediately wanting to put her to use. She's not sure what to make of Jon's reaction. ]

Of course I make them myself. I am an artiste. I could give youse a demo. I keep supplies in my bunk.

[deathpending]

[ He is horrified. Viscerally, but the emotion is a curiosity to him now, something to tug on only if he wants it. He can no longer drink up any part of humanity, it's an exercise. A commitment. ]

As illuminating as that would be, let us save them for a special occasion. You have no reason to lie and I have no reason not to believe you.

[ Because nobody is going to make that up; it's too ludicrous, too specific. ]

[skagzz]

[ Tina is not used to adults remaining calm with her for this long. ]

What's your dealio, fancy pants?

[ Her eyes widen. ]

You're not trying to tricky me back to school are you? JUST TRY TO TAKE ME. I HAVE TWO GRENADES IN MY DRESS.

[deathpending]

I have an explosive of my own.

[ — Jon is not human anymore. She is not a child first, she's food. It is so easy to think so, to put a little more silk into his voice and find a dark corner. So easy. ]

Now, I can't understate the value of a good education, but is the class here quite appropriate for you? What did Pandora expect of you?

[skagzz]

no school is appropriate for me I am a muthuh-humpin-GENIUS and they want me to READ. The NERVE.

But that's not important, boo. What's important it WHAT KIND OF EXPLOSIVE.

[ School makes Tina uncomfortable. She's bored, yes, but it's something else too, and she doesn't really want to find out what. ]

[deathpending]

Rather they want you to read something you find very boring, isn't it?

[ If it interested her, she would be all over it. Maybe if the book was about crumpets. ]

What kind of..? Ah, I can't give that away! What would I tell you about over tea?

[skagzz]

[ Tina used to like reading, but the people who read to her were her parents (dead) and Roland (dead) and sometimes the other Crimson Raiders (inaccessible in another universe). ]

NO. Books are POISON for CHILDREN. But let us away to tea. I wish to hear of your illustrious explosives. Where the crumpets at, yo?

[deathpending]

Now, I must firmly disagree.

[ Books are the most steadfast of companions, et cetera. Knowledge never leaves and it's never a harm to have more of it. Even if there's now things he very much wishes he didn't know. ]

Illustrious, hardly. I'm afraid they're quite ordinary.

[ His explosive is the truth. He is coming to the realisation that it may be overly abstract, and that he should perhaps settle for balloons instead. ]

I don't see or smell any tea.

[skagzz]

I heard they're keeping secret tea in the Captain's room. We could break in. I got explosives for that.

Unless yours are better, boo. All explosives are illustrious in my book. The only good book. Books are dumb.

[ That said if you tried to read to Tina she'd probably be very engaged. But now she's committed to disagreeing. ]