Librarian Out of Retirement

Get Real

Moderators: Gren Blockman, JewellRavenlock, Eden Parker, Hope

Post Reply
User avatar
Michelle Montoya
Seasoned Adventurer
Seasoned Adventurer
Fāris Al-Ibra

Posts: 546
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 10:50 pm
Location: Al-Ibra, South Cadentia OR the Real RhyDin House

Librarian Out of Retirement

Post by Michelle Montoya »

“Why do they insist on using such substandard baking?” Michelle was busy replacing the conference room refreshments with freshly baked mini-tarts as her teammates began to arrive for an interview with Gloria.

As Gloria arrived at the waiting area for the interview she looks around to see the surroundings. It had been a very long time since she was in an interview, she thought. “Hopefully my lack of skill last night won’t be seen in a negative light,” she commented to herself as she examined the surroundings.

Jewell was actually pushed in through a back door, "You don't pay me enough for this," she grumbled in false bravado. Her blue hair was up in a ponytail and she had shades on even though it was still early. She took a seat without a word, leaned back, crossed her arms, and tapped her foot.

Gren was standing next to Michelle, rubbing his forehead. “I’m sorry, they told me it was vegan. I thought it would be a nice change of pace! I didn’t know they weren’t fruit tarts. I never even heard of Quiche Tarts with Garlic and Okra. How was I supposed to know?” Gren shrugged his shoulders helplessly like the whole thing was an understandable oversight.

“It’s okay Gren. It’s not the quiche tarts - well, it is, it’s just that they were pre-made, frozen, shipped and thawed. Do you know what that does to a pastry? I can make vegan tarts, fresh. I know it’s not okra, but these vegan quiche tarts with basil, cherry and garlic will be even better. I promise.” She tried to give him a comforting smile, like it wasn’t his fault he allowed conference services to prepare the food, or that she was picky with pastry. In addition to the vegan quiche, Michelle set out three trays with raspberry, lemon, and vegan chocolate mini-tarts on each one.

Hope made her way in with one eye shut clutching a Red Ox Energy Can. “What’s wrong with you people? Why can’t we ever do these over lamb at a nice restaurant in New Haven? Or like at a pub?” She yawned and made her way to her seat, kicking it once by accident, in a pair of grey joggers and a hoodie. She blinked at the cornucopia of sweets laid out on the table and rubbed her eyes. “Better not let Eden see these…”

Hearing noise inside Gloria suspected they were starting to arrive. She waited outside for an invitation into the conference room. Slightly nervous but at the same time excited. She loved the camaraderie of a dueling house and sought to experience that again.

“Can someone send her in, please?” Jewell asked a little impatiently. “And for Nature’s sake, get me a [CENSORED] drink.” The interns were quick to respond, one rushing to bring her a drink and some food (which she nudged aside) while another went to usher Gloria in even though everyone hadn’t arrived yet.

"Next time we can meet at a nice restaurant," Michelle said, for both Hope and Jewell's benefit. The baker also went to the light dimmer and turned down the brightness a tad, not too much to be eerie but enough to make her teammates more comfortable. The interns finished filling everyone's glass with water, though Michelle suspected something stronger may have been offered to Jewell. Before Gloria was brought in she took a seat between Gren and Hope, leaving an empty chair for Eden.

Gren was nibbling on some of the raspberry tarts when Hope, Jewell, and Michelle were taking their seats. “I’ll have a Wild Ginger Green Smoothie with Coconut Water, please.” Gren asked the intern taking drink requests. The intern blinked rapidly and wandered off, wondering how they were going to fill that order.

Just before Gloria entered, Eden came in through the back door, passing a rather frazzled-looking intern on the way. In her hands, she held a paper plate piled high with Garlic and Okra quiche tarts and a cherry coke. She set her plate down beside Gren before settling into her seat. “Can you believe it? They were going to throw these away!” She took one, put it on a napkin, then offered the plate over towards Gren to pass down to her teammates, smiling cheerily and obliviously.

Gren eyed the Quiche tarts, then Eden, then the tarts again, before passing the plate over to Michelle, and discreetly motioning to Hope on her other side.

As the plate of reheated tarts came by Michelle pursed her lips ever so slightly but didn't say anything. It was Eden, after all. "Well, there is plenty to eat." She took one of her homemade tarts and set the plate of garlic and okra quiche tarts amongst the other handcrafted treats.

An intern came out and looked at Gloria. “They have directed me to bring you in now.” Gloria, rose from the chair she was seated on and nodded. “Thank you.” And then proceeded to follow the intern into the room. She saw the spread and the group of them looking at her. Michelle, Eden and Hope she knew the best from the rings and she recently met Gren. She had seen Jewell but hadn’t been really introduced yet.

As Gloria was getting situated a pair of blond children and a smaller dark-haired girl preceded Kheldar in through the back. The family all decked out in grey and blue uniforms covered in enough dust and grass stains to imply the ball in the big man's pocket probably wasn’t a tennis ball. A quick huddle sent the young Drasinias off to raid the refreshment table as Kheld found his seat with a smile.

“Greetings. Thank you for the invitation to come and chat about House Royal.” Gloria waited for the next cue from them. She tried to not fidget too much and smiled at Eden and Michelle while waiting.

“Order in the court”, Hope smacked the table with her Red Ox can a few times. “Line check: Jewell sufficiently alcoholed.” She looked and checked. “Eden sufficiently sugared”, another look and a check, “Gren hitting our healthy food quota”, check, “Michelle acting as Gren’s counter-weight with delicious fatty foods”, check, “Kheldar and family sporting casual dress wear and making it look good,'' she paused and looked wide-eyed. “When did Kheldar get a family?!” Anyways she then turned to Gloria. “Saving the best for last, would-be Gloria, did you come with the aspirations to succeed but most importantly have fun while potentially inflicting bodily harm on strangers/people you know?”

Gloria chuckles. “I am not sure that most consider librarians, fun, but that is the secret allure of our profession. We just don’t let others know how much fun we can have as we are often a more reflective sort. I have fun challenging myself, I have fun helping my house succeed, I have fun with a quiet sense of mischievousness.”

“However, I doubt many have heard what got me into the rings so long ago. My fiance, Braeger, did not understand the rules of the rings and challenged the Baron Lupton to a duel to the death. As a commoner, my dear did not have the skill and the Baron did not bother to explain and fought the match outside the wards. It was to this end I aspired first to attain the rank of Warlord and then to remove the Baron from any seat he would hold. I succeeded in the first and failed in the latter, however, it was not without inflicting, bodily harm, for what he did to my love. I have no qualms about the appropriate infliction of harm, especially when it comes to family, blood or by allegiance. It also does not matter if I know them or not, for I am fiercely loyal and my age is irrelevant to that loyalty.”

“Since my introduction to Swords, I channeled my energies into the rings and found the greatest success in Magic. Upon returning to the rings I do have three aspirations. One, to learn the art of Fists and successfully challenge for FireStar. Two, by positioning myself in a Barony, to continue in supporting Michelle in her goals. Three, to be part of a House again, and contribute to its success and honor in the rings, and like my original house, assist my House in obtaining any title the house is after.” She worried that she might have rambled on just a bit to much there and glanced around to see if anyone was bored with the response.

“Why FireStar?” The big man interjected somewhat uncharacteristically.

Responding to Kheldar, Gloria clarified. “After I recently became the Keeper of the Tower of Fire I have become extremely interested in mastering, learning and understanding anything related to flames. Therefore, this Opal, above all calls to me. And with my surname it is fitting.”

Eden was not even a little bit bored, her eyes wide and fixed on Gloria. Kheldar’s question was a good one, but Eden couldn’t help blurting out, “Did your special person die!?” She meant Braeger, of course, concerned that the alarming story did not have an explicit end.

Softening her voice somewhat she looked at Eden directly.

“Yes, he died. In those days the Arena was teeming with new arrivals seeking to make their mark. It was not uncommon for three, four, five and even six matches being held simultaneously. The officials were often so busy focusing on calling up to three, even four matches at once to notice this unranked person, my Brager, get into an argument with a Baron as more than the usual bravado of the rings. Leaving the wards and dueling to the death as unbelievable as it was barely registered in the chaos of the time. Rhydin was not a stranger to violence in the streets.”

Gloria glanced tentatively at Michelle. Michelle watched Gloria, a soft sadness in her eyes as she reflected on another who had died violently in the streets. “Some who died in the streets got the respect of the community, others not so. Perhaps another question unless you need to know more on that topic.”

“Wow . . . that’s horrible.” Gren observed. Setting down his raspberry tarts, he cleared his throat and tried to shift the conversation to a lighter topic. “I see you were a member of House Atrebla. What was your time like with them?”

With the relief resulting from Gren’s topic shift Gloria turns to face him as she responds. “It was absolutely amazing.”

She pauses and then resumes. “It was one of those times of circumstance and fate putting you where you needed to be. You see, in the very first season of Team Dueling I was initially signed by Questrion who as a House was one of the teams in the very first exhibition match. I wasn’t in that match but was added to their team for the inaugural season. However, based on my performance in the Arena I was deemed to be a lesser asset and was traded to Team Atrebla before the season started. I knew Topaz and Dex but wasn’t part of the Guardians of Truth or their House but that was the start of one of the most important relationships in my life. The highlight was after seven seasons from 514 through 520 finally being part of the league championship team. It was the only team and house I ever represented and I look to find a new home like that.”

“That’s all well and good, but can you drink and fight? That’s important.” So proclaimed the Empress who had polished off her first drink and immediately asked for another when Kheld had entered with his kids. “Someone give her a few drinks while Kheld and I practice throwing things at her. I want to see what her tolerance level is When she stops dodging, it’s over.” She reached for some of the okra tarts as potential throwing objects as they certainly didn’t look edible, “Thanks Eden!”

With a small smirk, Michelle’s eyes flitted to Jewell. “Not all of us on the team drink Jewell. But, …” she eyed the okra tarts - they were better suited to throwing.

“I have no idea if I can drink and fight, I’ve never tried. Although, you didn’t say anything about fighting well. I am more a fine glass of wine with a good meal type.”

Gloria looks like she might say more but decided an interview is not the time to talk about her private moments with a Sherry nip after hours in the library. Following the eyes to the okra tarts…

“I wouldn’t consider those a dinner that a fine wine would accompany. They do look like effective projectiles.” She grins and looks ready to take the second half of Jewell’s test though.

A PA who throughout the whole interview process had been very unreasonable about the reflex testing techniques Kheldar had initially instituted moved to step in and dissuade the team. “It’s much less effective if you tell them it’s coming Jewel.” Kheld fake chided with a grin, as a barrage of foam darts was launched from several angles by the younger Drasinias from guns procured from their gear bags. The first volly aimed at Gloria, but soon spreading off course at the rest of the team, because, well kids.

Gloria was totally caught off guard and is hit by the volleys. She then chuckles as she sees the volley spread out. She decides to have some fun using her magic to give the foam darts trajectories that defy the laws of physics. She was unable to control all of them of course but takes a few and re-routes them in a child-seeking Arc and allows the kids to enjoy the turn-about.

“HEY! Don’t shoot ME!” Gren dove under the table. A hand could be seen searching around the tabletop for his smoothie, which once found was grabbed and pulled under. “Uncle! Uncle!”

Eden ducked as a nerf dart went sailing over her head. Then she giggled, delighted by the work of the young Drasinias. When she saw how Gloria reacted, Eden applauded with enthusiasm. “Oh that’s very good!”

Michelle batted a dart out of the way and took another errant one to the neck. “Gah! I’ve been shot!” She slid off the chair, clutching at her ‘wound’ as if it were gushing blood.

Jewell blinked as one of the darts got stuck to her forehead. Tossing back her drink, she rose up with fist in the air. “I will avenge you, Michelle!” Then she pulled a water gun out of somewhere and starting shooting at the Drasinia kids, “Ahhh! Pew pew pew!” Her aim was a bit off today, so she was really just shooting at everyone.

Using her Red Ox as a shield Hope ended up with at least one sticky dart stuck to it. “Okay no drunk dueling, we can work on that.” She commented while scribbling on a notebook. “I’d exercise some caution going for the rock while you’re in possession of the Key. Things don’t always go as we expect.” That aside, she looked over the rest of her notes. “They don’t still allow those do they? Duels to the death?” She scratched her head some and adjusted her sunglasses. “I guess the heavy guns come out now.” She squinted at Gloria. “Pepsi or Coke?”

“And can you abide lima beans!?” Jewell shouted before jumping over the refreshment table and rolling on the floor.

Michelle ‘bandaged’ her wound with napkins. Clutching the napkins to her neck she picked up an okra tart that had dropped beneath the table, peeked out from behind over and launched it towards Kheldar.

Gloria shifted herself as the flying okra tart whizzed by and when the spray from the water gun was pointed elsewhere she ducked down beside Jewell. “I can abide lima beans just fine when they are on someone else’s plate” she answered loud enough that everyone could hear despite the commotion.

At the same time she gives Eden’s drink a bit of a flame enhancement she says “Flaming Cherry Coke would be my choice. It’s not quite the kick of the Flaming Moe but has some fire to it.”

With gales of laughter typical of kids at play, and coordination and calmness well beyond their years the ambushers reacted to the adults counteroffensive. They refocused fire on their attackers as they fell back to the edge of the snack table after a yell from the blond girl. Kael, dropped his weapon and took up a serving tray which had “conveniently” been emptied of snacks and covered his sisters, blocking incoming projectiles as he looked at the exasperated Production Assistant as she moved to stop them. “We didn’t throw anything.”

His twin continued the barrage as the smaller dark-haired girl dug around in the bag from cover, switching to the half-full weapons of her siblings as ammo went dry. Then they ducked into the shadows under the table clothed serving table. A hand reached up to grab the plate the snacks had been transferred too, and with a yell of “Thanks, Dad” the laughter stopped and the ambush was over.

Ignoring the okra stuck to the side of his face and grinning ear to ear, Kheldar continued the interview. “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?”

“I have heard there is a magical realm of Mr. Square Pants and that he has magic to prevent himself from bloating. However, I haven't seen him, perhaps our Keeper of Water has.” Gloria looks to Michelle.

A nod given in response. His test passed and riddle answered, Kheldar got up and started retrieving his kids ammo. The brief dirty look he received from the PA met with a shrug. “They didn’t break any rules.”

The response elicited a scoff and then scurrying away. Even grinning with a handful of orange foam darts, Kheldar was still a fairly imposing figure after all.

Gloria looked for a clue if she should return to her seat now.

Michelle gracefully returned to her chair, smoothing out her damp hair from the foam dart assault. “I’ve never seen a Mr. Square Pants, but I’ll ask Saragasso.” A glass of orange juice was quickly taken in hand for her to drink while awaiting the next set of questions from her teammates.

“. . . Is it safe to come out now?” Gren asked timidly, before his eyes peeked over the rim of the table. Seeing as the room was currently calm, he cleared his throat and retook his seat.

Gloria followed the cue and took her seat.

“Given your lack of an answer, I’m going to assume the better of the two, Pepsi.” She scribbled on her notepad and set it down. “Well I think that covers most of the important stuff.” She wiped her face free of some of the dessert shrapnel and folded her hands. “All in favor of Gloria joining, say aye. Aye.”
Post Reply

Return to “House Royal”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest