New stuff brewing

[ataashihunter]

WHO: The Iron Bull
WHERE: All around the village, Network, Schoolhouse
WHEN: October
OPEN TO: OTA, Starter for Phryne
WARNINGS: None so far will add more as they come

---

[Scoolhouse, OTA]
It was the idea of the wine book that had sent him here looking. Mostly for a book about brewing beer. There had to be that sort of information after all and a place like this was in desperate need of some good beer. So he makes his way to the schoolhouse and starts poking through the books in there. Eventually, he finds the book he is after as well as a few more and he settles down to read, making a few lists of what he'll need if he is to make beer.

[Network, OTA]
Does anyone have a big pot or two I could borrow, or know where I could get one made? And maybe some buckets or barrels. I am making beer.
[Then a little later]
I borrowed the book on beer brewing from the schoolhouse. It is at my place.

[Great minds for Phryne]
He doesn't expect to have anyone else in his head so at first, his thoughts are unfiltered as he heads back through the village. Storing the beer, could use the house, should be warm enough for it. - Who is that? Are they a danger? Oh wait, it's just them. All right, not a threat then.

Comments

[fishingfortrouble]

Generally speaking, Phryne isn't much of a believer in the supernatural. Not that she can really tell what the strange new function on the device around her wrist is meant to do, mind, but she's nothing if not curious and the fact that she only partially understand the devices they've all been given isn't really enough to keep her from trying things out anyway. After all, while the people who've brought them here don't seem to be the most inclined to have their best interests in hand she'd like to assume they aren't going to go so far as to risk killing anyone.

(She's been wrong before, yes. But that isn't going to stop her from hoping all the same.)

It doesn't immediately occur to her that what she's hearing is someone else's thoughts. It doesn't sound like any of her own, no. But that's hardly enough to keep her own thought from coming right back, an idle curiosity that she could no more have stopped than she could have given up any of her (many) hobbies.

'Are there that many threats, here?'

[ataashihunter]

Bull stops instantly, for a moment panic flashing across the link. 'A demon? What? How did you get inside my head?' He glances around, trying to identify where the threat might come from and he looks straight past Phryne.

[fishingfortrouble]

'I should certainly hope I'm not a demon!'

Not in the more religious sort of context, anyway. She has, yes, been accused of being a veritable terror once she gets behind the wheel of a car. But that doesn't mean that she's anything other a perfectly average human otherwise. Even if there is something distinctly out of the ordinary going on.

'And I could ask rather the same thing.' A pause. 'Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It's certainly a novel way to hold a conversation, if nothing else.'

She, by contrast, isn't doing a whole lot of looking around. But she does very much notice Bull doing likewise, and if he's looking closely he might spot the flicker of a smile that crosses her face at the comment about not complaining.

[ataashihunter]

'Not a demon? Then this place is playing tricks on us again? In my world the only thing that invade your mind like this is demons' He glances around and then spots her. A brief flicker of thoughts across his mind, assessing her both in terms of looks but also in how dangerous he thinks she is. He more or less lands on not very in a fight, undetermined in the game of politics on the other hand.

He walks closer and gestures to his head. "This you?"

[fishingfortrouble]

'I would assume that to be the case, at least.'

She's not entirely certain, mind, and she's still recently enough arrived that she's not exactly the most familiar with the sorts of things that the Observers get up to on a regular basis. But given that she knows for certain that this isn't anything she would have considered to be even remotely possible, it makes a certain amount of sense that it's something that it's something that the place itself is doing. Why and how are another matter entirely, but she can at least live with it, for the time being.

(As for Bull's assessment of how dangerous she is, she can certainly hold her own in a fight if she has to. But Bull definitely has her outclassed by very nearly an order of magnitude.)

The said, there is still a blink as Bull approaches - seeing a tall horned figure in the near distance and actually speaking to same are two very different things - but she recovers well enough and offers a nod at the question besides.

"It is." And then, because it hurts nothing to be polite even despite the fact that she rather imagines a more religious woman would be screaming in terror at the sight of her new conversational partner, she continues on, offering a hand as she does so. "Phryne Fisher."

[ataashihunter]

He hesitates as he feels that blink, the hint of fear as he approaches. But she hides it well, he will give her that. And he takes the hand with a friendly smile and then a kiss to the back of the hand. "The Iron Bull."

He can put on his best behaviour, the one usually reserved for dealing with nobles after all. "I apologize for my assumption. It is just that where I come from possession from demons is actually something you have to worry about."

[fishingfortrouble]

She's very good at hiding her feelings, it's true. Or at least the ones she wants to, anyway. She makes no secret of the fact that there are times where she pretty much wears her heart on her sleeve, sure. But being able to tuck away fear or disgust comes in more than handy in her line of work. Especially given that it tends to involve speaking to people who are understandable distraught. (And often for good reason besides.)

Still, the smile that Bull offers helps to soothe that momentary spike of concern. As does the kiss he presses to the back of her hand, which prompts a smile of her own.

"It's quite alright." She means that too, given the sincerity that echoes across the mental link. "And I am sorry to have made you worry, even momentarily."

[ataashihunter]

He smiles at her sincerity and holds the hand for a few seconds longer before he lets it go. She looks good, and he doesn't even bother to try to hide the thoughts of her in fewer clothes than she's wearing. Why bother after all.

"Nothing you could have known unless you're from my world." And he is guessing she is not.

[fishingfortrouble]

Given Phryne's own tendencies when it comes to the idea of sex, she doesn't even so much as bat an eye at the thoughts. Admittedly, usually she has to guess which men might be trying to undress her with their eyes, but it's certainly not a problem either.

'How very forward.'

There's no reproach in her mental voice, though. Simply good-natured amusement, and for all that she answers his comment verbally as opposed to mentally, there's nothing in her voice to suggest that she's anything other mildly amused at the thought.

"It does sound that way, yes."

And she's not ashamed to admit that she's rather glad that she doesn't have to add possession to things she needs to be concerned about.

[ataashihunter]

He gives a bit of a smile. He likes her already, she's his kind of gal. "How about a cup of tea? I'd offer a drink but the options here are limited." He shakes his head slightly at that and there is a pang of something like missing some good beer.

"So where are you from Phryne?"

[fishingfortrouble]

"It does seem that way, from what I've noticed so far. But tea would be wonderful."

Not that she doesn't mind something stronger from time to time, either. But given that the options on that front are more than a little bit limited, she'll take what she can get. If that happens to be nothing more tea, so be it: she's never minded a spot of tea.

"Australia," she answers, figuring that going a little more general is probably not going to hurt, given that they are from different worlds. "Melbourne specifically, if that should mean anything."

[network; un: gern blanston]

[majorlyugh]

got some pots, though not sure what you need in terms of size. beer sounds great! i tried once in college. didn't go well.

Re: [network; un: gern blanston]

[ataashihunter]

Well, something that can handle 20 to 30 liters would be good. 60 would be even better.

[majorlyugh]

i'm unfortunately from the US which means we stupidly don't learn liters. how many cups is that?

[ataashihunter]

That depends on how big the cup is. 30liters makes about 60 pints of beer

Schoolhouse

[notsoangry]

Bruce is normally wandering between the inn for the notes, the forge to help Tony, or the schoolhouse which is the closest to his comfort zone. He practically lived in a library when he was younger, it was the safest place to be, and the books in this one are fascinating. He loves learning how to do new things. He plans on gaining some helpful skills that way, community based more than personal interest. How to wood work is the top of his list at the moment, since it seems like a useful tool and Clint isn't able to help him anymore.

He wanders in the door with a stack of his past week of books, he reads quickly, and clumsily sets it down on the nearest table. A book off the top drops, and he sighs, glad they're not in a library so he would guiltily apologize to a librarian. He's not aware there's someone else until he looks up, and another book drops, although this one he attempts to catch. "Sorry." For the noise. He has to be more aware when he walks into a room, jeez.

Re: Schoolhouse

[ataashihunter]

Bull didn't look up until the second book drops and then he gives Bruce a bit of a smile. He knows he can be a lot for some people to take in and he stays where he is, trying to seem non-threatening.

"Hope you don't mind me sticking around and reading?"

Re: Schoolhouse

[notsoangry]

Bruce is confused, eyebrows furrowing. "Why would I mind? I'm the one disturbing you." He's not startled by the way the man looks. Impressed, maybe, now that he has a moment to take a look, and intrigued, since he's been meeting several non-human looking people these days.

"Oh!" It clicks, and he waves a hand. "No, no, I'm just, I'm clumsy. I took too many books." He trips over his own feet, it's a thing. "Trust me, I'm the last person to be thrown off by appearances." The Hulk was terrifying. Bull seems much more approachable in comparison. "Not to, uh, make assumptions." How many times will he stumble into a conversation and make it worse? We'll see.

Re: Schoolhouse

[ataashihunter]

Bull looks at him for a long moment. Just taking it all in, the answeres the way he seems to correct himself. Then he stands to come over and offer his hand. "I don't mind at all. I'm the Iron Bull. I am trying to figure out if we could set up a brewery here."

Re: Schoolhouse

[notsoangry]

He takes the offered hand and shakes it. "Bruce Banner. Nice to meet you ... do I say the Iron Bull, or do you prefer Iron or Bull?" It sounds like a title, so Bruce wants to be sure to use the right one out of respect. He nods at the brewery part. "I'm sure everyone here would appreciate that. They seem able to create some types of liquors, I had one and it nearly killed me." He got sick and passed out instead. It could have been worse.

"I'm pretty sure you need barleys, sugars, yeast, that sort of thing. There's probably some variety of them growing naturally here. You could ask Alec, if you've met him."

Re: Schoolhouse

[ataashihunter]

"Honestly, most people just call me Bull and I don't mind too much. I'd prefer The Iron Bull but ... Eh.. As nicknames go Bull isnt so bad." He digs through the book he was reading until he finds a basic ingredients list and shows to Bruce. "As far as I can tell I only need barley and hops. The yeast is wild. Or can be if you don't have it."

He takes the book back. "Don't think I've met him. He knows a lot about the plants around here?"

Re: Schoolhouse

[notsoangry]

"I'll call you the Iron Bull, then." He might be fine with the nickname, but preferences really do come first. It isn't harder to say his full name than only one word. Bruce looks at the ingredients list and nods. "I think there probably are versions of it around, it's identifying them and testing safety that's probably the next step. You'll probably have some willing guinea pigs."

"Alec is hard to miss, he's tall and looks like he's made of plants, he's all green. He has a close relationship to flora in his world, I think, but I'm not sure he's managed to get the same connection here. Yet. People also say Mark is useful for that, I think he's the pot guy." Bruce is really hoping most of these people show up to the expo. It'd be helpful. "A pub would be great here. Everyone could use a communal distraction."

Re: Schoolhouse

[ataashihunter]

"Yeah, I intend on doing some of that myself." He grins. "Besides it would be a good thing to trade for favours or bring if we're having a party or something like that."

He frowns at the description of Alec. "Made of plants? Huh." He's heard some stories of walking trees but he's never run into any. "At least that should make him easier to spot. And I'll keep an eye out for Mark. Anyone with more farming experience than me really."

Re: Schoolhouse

[notsoangry]

"You might want to have someone nearby in case when you're testing things out. You never know when something natural here could turn out to be toxic for you." Bruce is a safety first kind of guy; it's not very interesting, but it is very practical. "Oh I think you'd become very popular and quickly. All the favors you could ask for. It seems like the only real liquor here is near poisonous in comparison." A nice drink on a night designed to distract instead of terrorize? It would be nice.

"Yes, or I would say like an Ent, a walking tree, but it's not quite right. You'll know him when you see him. He's very friendly and helpful." Alec was the first person who Bruce met really here, and helpfully delivered him right to the person he needed to see. "I think there's a list of people who have skills in different areas, including botany. Doctor Crusher has a garden I believe."

[ataashihunter]

"Yeah, there is that. There is also the chance that it won't work as barley or hops or whatever works in my world. Or yours. But that is less of a worry than making poison."

He frowns. "I think I've heard about walking trees. They are really rare. Some sort of elf magic. Is there something like that there?"