dear_mun | satine is brand new.

Oh, don't worry. No one understands this place at all. You're not alone.

[An eyebrow quirks momentarily, her only sign of what could possibly be surprise.]

How many are there? So many, it seems, more than could ever be counted.

I'm sure there's a scientific way of identifying them all, but I haven't really had much time to formulate any data collecting work, so I can't really tell you, but I will say that anything can be counted, if the right variables are taken into account and if an analyst is willing to put the time and energy into doing the work.

[She pauses to breathe.]

Or...you know...lots?

[Oh dear. Satine, from a much earlier period of time, certainly doesn't understand the majority of what the blonde just said. That there is something involving science to count them is about as much as she takes from it, but it doesn't show.]

Lots...that's rather disconcerting.

Ah, manners. I am Satine, a pleasure to meet you.

It is?

Oh! Well...thank you.

[She pauses. Then realizes she should probably say something.]

Um...I'm Casey. Casey Dikawa of the Shaldani Dikawas. They...don't talk about me a lot. Uh...most people call me "Case."

[...that is an incredibly long title. Satine is definitely grateful there is something shorter the woman prefers to be called by.]

Of course it's a pleasure. Why shouldn't it be?

I...uh...well, they call me "Case." Like..."Head Case..."

I'm not very popular. I guess that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, considering what it is that I've been brought around to do.

[...not quite familiar with that, either, but she'll bite her bottom lip and...no, it's not even worth trying.]

I must confess that I don't understand what that means. Head case, that is. My writer tells me it's because I'm from a time quite in the past now.

Oh.

Well, that happens around here a lot. Time and space and worlds collide. It's actually quite fascinating. When you're not being held hostage to it.

[A pause.]

And "head case" is an insult and we can leave it at that.

[Time? Space? That's...she is not a dumb woman by any means, but science is far beyond her realm. She blinks as she does not understand entirely, but still offers the warmest of smiles.]

Then I shall not call you such a thing, and expect you to offer the same courtesy of not insulting me. How does that sound?

Oh, I...I wouldn't insult you, ma'am.

You seem, on the whole, a perfectly pleasant individual.

I like to think I uphold that, and am quite pleased to hear you think so, Casey. [That sounds better than Case, though, doesn't it? And if Case is part of an insult, that seems something she should steer clear of, even if it sounds a bit strange. If she corrects her, though, it will not be stated again except in times of need.] You are a woman of science?

Oh, mostly alchemy. I dabble in genetics a little bit. And biology. Some chemistry.

I once blew up a toaster...

[The mention of alchemy, she knows a bit about that. At least, what it once was.]

Can you turn any substance to gold, or is that a very silly question?

It's theoretically possible. I've never really had much interest in gold myself. My primary area of focus has always been in the fusion of magic and science, which is probably why the Nysgod government picked me for...that little bit of unpleasantness...

[Now she can't stop her eyes from going wide and her mouth to open slightly. Magic? Magic? What! There is no such thing!

But she schools herself a little less quickly than usual right back into neutrality.]

I...I honestly don't know what to say to the idea of a place where magic is real!

Well...the Nysgods are full of surprises...

[She pauses. Blinks.]

Wait, what do you mean "magic is real?" Of course it's real...

I...I have never seen it...it's, it is mere fantasy. Stories of knights and wizards, like King Arthur and Merlin, and witches and the like...but, no. No, it is not...it's not at all where I'm from, no, it is not.

[It can't be! It can't!]

Oh.

You must come from a place densely populated with humans, then. That could explain the cultural isolation. I think. Social sciences really aren't my area of expertise. They involve...you know...people...

[A hand goes to her mouth slightly as she realizes she was quite rude just now. Here this woman is, telling her that magic is real, and here she is, firmly denying it. If it was real, she could have flown out of the Elephant...no, that was mere fantasy. It would never have happened no matter how well the musical went or how much money the Duke provided.]

Yes, Paris is quite populated with Parisians and tourists alike. I can't remember it ever being bare.

And Paris is...?

[This...this is...she can't even think of what she should be thinking right now.]

Paris, France. A very large city, the capital of the country. I don't understand how it can't be known by name.

I'm afraid I haven't been working for the Nysgod government long enough to know the name of every city of every country of every world. I'm currently trying to memorize the names of the planets in the Beta Quadrant, but they're kinda hard to pronounce so...

...

...yeah...

[Greek. This must be Greek.]

Of...every world?

Well, the Nysgod realm is connected to them all so...

Oh, oh I see the confusion. You must come from a place where the commonly accepted dogma is that there's only one world.

Don't worry. You'll get past that hurdle pretty quickly!

[Already it seems a hurdle Satine is not able to grasp. She feels like she should check her temples and pulse to make sure she is as alive as can be expected...but she can feel her heart beating and needs air like she always could and had, so there's no need to do so. It's simply a feeling.]

I don't...Nies-God...my apologies, I've just been...well, thrust into this, that is as best I can phrase it.

[Casey nods sympathetically.]

It gets easier.

[She will look back at this and be grateful that someone as patient as Casey caught her first.]

I hope you're right. Thank you for your patience, and your compassion.

France, last I heard.

Are you all right, miss?

[Another woman might show a bit more surprise than a slight widening of the eyes, but not the redhead before him.]

I assume I should be all right. I just haven't the foggiest where I am, I'm afraid.

[Phelps attempts a reassuring smile, even though he's not particularly good at it.]

All right, maybe I can help you out. Do you remember your name?

[Phelps has an interesting style, and his hat is quite lovely. But the reassuring smile, as obvious as it is he is self-conscious about it not working, causes her to smile warmly back at him.]

Oh yes, I remember everything. Satine is my name, a pleasure.

It's nice to meet you, Satine. I'm Detective Cole Phelps with the LAPD.

[Phelps' smile has become a little less forced. She reminds him of someone he knows. Not physically, perhaps, but something about the way she holds herself. Her presence.]

Is that a stage name? If you don't mind my asking.

[Reassuring, hopefully? Comforting? She would certainly hope so, for even as her duty could call for her complete internal meltdown, she tried to emit warmth more often than not.]

Ah...it is my name, actually, but I am a performer within the Moulin Rouge. They call me the Sparkling Diamond. All a bit silly, if you ask me, but in good fun.

[His mouth opens and closes a moment. She's just-striking. It's that inner designer moment.]

...I wish I could offer you something constructive.

[A man stunned by her looks, her presence? Now this is something quite familiar!]

It seems, upon more learning, that there is very little one can provide in the first place, monsieur.

[He knows beauty when he sees it. It's less of a physical attraction and more-let's design a costume sort of thing.

He looks like the theater type-or almost like the theater type. All black, gold eyeliner around his eyes.]

Well no, I mean I like to offer information. I like helping people.

[Design a costume for her? That's definitely something she wouldn't mind! Extravagance is par for the course in the Moulin Rouge, and red is most assuredly her color.]

I see. If you cannot, it isn't a good thing to wish, is it? It's fruitless from the start, there should be no time wasted on what cannot be otherwise. Or, so I would think.

Satine, pleasure to meet you.

[He's a capitol stylist and one of the best after all. Living for his work is what he does. He extends a hand.]

Cinna.

And I'd disagree. I mean, everything can be made better and more beautiful with a little work.

[To his extended hand, Satine places her within it. Not in the form of a shake, but in a way that would make it easy for him to kiss the back of. Different cultures and times and all.]

Mmm, yes, but can using glam to better something really make it anymore easy to understand?

Satine...

[What to say? Where to begin? He's torn between sharing in her confusion and trying to make it seem like he's in control of himself and the situation. He wants to keep her safe, and the latter should at least make things easier to manage. It's just too bad that he's never been that good at lying. Especially not to her of all people.]

...perhaps staying here may be the better option.

[Satine's eyes go slightly wide at the appearance of Christian, and it's scarcely a second later that she's got her arms around his neck, pressing his face against him.]

Christian, I didn't think I'd...

[His arms wrapping around her is almost instinctive by now, but the grip is tighter than usual, almost desperate despite his attempts at remaining calm.]

Don't. You're here now.

[And it's reassuring completely, his arms around her. Even if she's not sure where "here" is, she's with Christian, and that's all that matters.]

Wherever here is, as long as I'm with you, it's...it's much better.

satine is brand new.

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(check us out!) http://shadowmods.dreamwidth.org/

Oh goodness! I didn't expect this at all, I certainly shall!

Well, I love your Satine. She's fun!

Thank you so much! I've never really done her seriously before.

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