Ephemeral Truths [Verity]

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

When Verity arrives for her daily shift, Schön's demeanor in answering the door suggests this might not be just another day at the office. "Ah, good morning. I wonder if you might feel like a small change in the routine?"

Comments

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Too clever for his own good, probably. "Now that, I will concede."

"You think so? I may have to experiment with it, sometime," he muses. "Surprise everyone."

"Oh, yes. Subtle cues in the direction the ridges of the brushstrokes lean can indicate one hand or the other. Most wouldn't have noticed."

[brave_heart_verity]

"It could be your next Samhain costume," she suggests. "Think you can find an actual pixie to play your Tinkerbelle?"

She considers that, looking down at her hands for a moment, subtly miming holding something in each before she gives a little nod. "That makes sense when you think about it." Lowering her voice, she adds, "And I'd love to know why you were trying to sell that painting here instead of where it came from."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

The suggestion prompts a laugh. "Are you certain you wouldn't like the role? Or sensible Wendy, perhaps?" He may be teasing.

"Ah, but that's part of what I do," he explains, with a touch of pride. "I find things that aren't valued or wanted in one world, and bring them to another where they are. And a sad world it is, where the Impressionist school never sprung up."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I think Wendy would be more believable," she admits with a smile, "but I'll do Tinkerbelle if the pixie dust really works." No problem at all for him, surely.

That thought gives her pause. All her lofty talk about art not meaning the same thing to everyone aside, how can Impressionism go unappreciated? "Sounds like a lucrative business for everyone," she admits. "What did they have instead?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

He grins, for she's just made a bargain with him. "Agreed." Now he just has ten months to source real pixie dust.

"Industrial Representationalism," he explains. "Sort of the bastard love-child of Soviet propaganda posters and Andy Warhol, a century early."

[brave_heart_verity]

It's worth the silly costume to get to fly for a night. But she's not dressing as a 'sexy' Tinkerbelle so stop hoping for that.

"Huh. That's really different. I think I'll stick with the Impressionists." But if he ever wants to take her to this world, let her do a little shopping... "Did Monet have a huge garden somewhere that he painted in? I guess he never got to build that in that world."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

With the typical Tinkerbelle costume as a template, it's hard to imagine how far it would have to be cut down to be made "sexy Tinkerbelle." Perhaps it could be mistaken for an "Eve," or "Lady Godiva."

"Oh, he still had the garden. Painted many of the same works. But the People's Rationalist Cabinet denounced him as a decadent, and the people who might've appreciated his work or become his students avoided him in favor of something safer."

[brave_heart_verity]

Yeah, no, she is definitely not doing that. But an attractive, sparkly green dress shouldn't be too hard to find...

"That poor man. He didn't end up in prison or anything?" She really hopes not. That would be too sad and would require fixing.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

This is true.

"Thankfully, no. It may have been suggested that imprisoning him would only legitimize his values. After all, the government would only punish someone for their ideas if those ideas were a threat." Okay, now that's a humblebrag.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Good." Yeah, she caught that, and she's giving his arm a squeeze now. "Thank you."

And then, to lighten the mood... "Are people there left-handed because their politically lefties too?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

As ever, Schön can savor Verity's company, knowing she picks up on the little things that other people miss.

"Ha!" he laughs. "I hadn't thought of that. It's possible, I suppose, but I hope it doesn't follow for the rest of the multiverse. I can't stand those young Republicans."

[brave_heart_verity]

"They can be a little hard to take," she agrees, "and I don't want to know what their politics would motivate them to write with, so, totally not-awkward change of subject: tell me about this painting?" Pick one at random, anything's better than that train of thought!

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Docent-man to the rescue! Up, up, and we're moving! He'll be pleased to fill the morning with the tales of the art they see for as long as Verity likes.

[brave_heart_verity]

Until about lunchtime. Her endurance is growing admirably, so long as she can get a little chance to rest now and then. She doesn't even avail herself of aspirin until nearly noon. But she can't last forever, and he'd feel her leaning on him more and more toward the end.

"If you do that show, you should call it 'Beautiful Lies'," she murmurs. "I think I need to leave now."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

That's some impressive progress. All the same, Schön is keeping a close eye on her condition, and sees the signs of fatigue.

"Excellent name," he murmurs. "Would you like to dine out, or bring something back to the office?" It's an offer of shelter, under the guise of an innocuous question about meal preferences, and he knows she'll both recognize that and the intentions behind it.

[brave_heart_verity]

It's tempting to demand he take her someplace fancy, but the thought of being around all those rich snobs... she can't handle that right now. "I have to admit, I'm craving Chinese food. Peking duck and crab rangoon?" More American-Chinese than authentic, but how would she know the difference? To her, it's 'the food that comes from Chinatown'.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Fancy dining can be another trip. Perhaps she'd enjoy a working dinner with a restaurant critic, pointing out any dishonesty in the menu? Or perhaps she'd prefer a relaxing dinner with an honest chef.

"Peking duck and crab rangoon," he agrees, "I know just where to go." And they're off! A brisk walk, if she's up to it, hailing a cab if she isn't.

[brave_heart_verity]

Even an honest chef can't always ensure an honest meal; so many of the fibs start with the distributors, and can't usually be caught without genetic testing or a caliber of taste buds even great chefs can't maintain for every ingredient or check every day. She could handle the working dinner if the wine list is good.

"I had a feeling you would." A walk will do her good, but perhaps not as brisk as usual. It's not a bad thing to take their time and appreciate the sights. "Is there any city where you don't know your way around in some version of it?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"There's a long list of such cities," he admits, "but I shorten it, periodically." There's nothing wrong with a more leisurely pace, and if she likes that's certainly how they can go. A pleasant stroll on one of England's rare sunny days.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I mean real cities, not, like, Toledo." Sorry, Toledo, you just don't make the grade for a Manhattanite. "What's your favorite city?"

If he'd like to talk while they walk, she'd enjoy that. Taking her mind off the pain helps.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"My favorite city of all time and space?" He pretends to think about it for a moment, before answering, "that would have to be Arcadia, the capital of the Sidhe. Every fairy-tale palace that has ever been imagined, described, wrought, is the palest reflection of the tiniest glimpse of Arcadia's glory. The Silver Tower, the Court of Courts, the Thousandth Hall, Twilight's Embrace, truly it is the beating heart where noble dreams are born."

[brave_heart_verity]

She really set herself up for that one, and she's pretty sure he knows she meant somewhere on Earth where they could go exploring someday. Not a place she'd never be allowed into. It's cruel to wave such beautiful things in front of her and then tell her she can never have them.

"That does sound like your kind of place," she admits quietly.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Alright, he probably should have taken the answer as that, but without such conditions, Arcadia is his favorite, and he didn't want to spoil their day with a technical lie.

"It was," he admits. "But the way there is lost, and all my people in the mortal realm can only look across the hazy gulf of memory to where it shines."

[brave_heart_verity]

A fair point. It's hard to be detail-oriented with a headache.

"I'm sorry. I hope you can find the way back." His arm gets another squeeze. "You'll send me a postcard when you do, right?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Dear Verity," he purrs, "you shall be my honored guest if you so desire! What a stir you would make."