sweethymns | Mι∂ηιgнт ιη Ƥαяιѕ

[Oren looks at Gus again. This time a little longer as if wanting to gauge something more important than his usual dismissal of the younger Aubert.

Honestly, the golem can tell that this boy had a good heart; too much for his own good. It was a shame really.

Oren stands up and heads over to the door.]

She should be done now.

[He opens it up and a small, but comforting room greets them. It's clean ~~no underwear in sight!~~ and quiet and the sound of Iona walking across the floor can be heard.]

"You can bring them in Oren!"

[He bows his head towards Gus and Claude, gesturing towards the apartment.]

Enter.

[ If there's one thing that hurts Claude Aubert, it's watching his brother bounce off of trials that dig wounds into his oversized heart; it's something Claude doesn't have, that same sort of hurt, and he acknowledges that his secondhand empathy is only selfish and detrimental.

He watches Gus pick himself right up from where he left off with his excitement, powerwalk out of that door without so much as a backwards glance.

Claude isn't bitter: he never has been. This is the only way he can feel anything, really.

So he follows his brother, smiles wanly as he watches Gus dive into a pile of cushions and sound genuinely exhilarated. Admittedly, this is...new...]

Pardon our intrusion.

[ Ok damn this is nice...these lights?! He'll try not to stare. ]

[And the air feels cool. The temperature is being controlled!? WHAT WITCHCRAFT IS THIS, wait no, Oren's going over and adjusting the temperature, via the device on the wall to a comfortable 65 degrees Fahrenheit and it beeps as he does so.

For a place that was obviously not very large, the use of space and the sleek look of the furniture decorations just scream, "MODERN." And the wide window decorated by curtains leads to a view of the city outside and that includes the millions of lights from the buildings and cars that dot the streets and highways in the distance.

There's a hallway that leads to the bedrooms and from it, emerges Iona, out of her cafe uniform and wearing casual clothes instead, hair also down. She beams at Gus and Claude hands behind her back, obviously looking gleeful about introducing them to her time period.]

Welcome to the City of Angels in the 21st century! I think we're gonna have a lot of fun while you're here.

[ The brothers looks distinctly overdressed in this century— Claude in his three-piece suit and Gus in his "casual" vest and slacks— but Gus is too excited about!! the gadgets!! to care. Where Claude takes people apart and stitches them together, Gus is a great tinkerer of tools: he's the one that built Claude's communicator from scratch.

He's currently busy admiring the AC remote, resisting the urge to take it apart, when Iona comes back. ]

Hello, gorgeous. ♥

[ down, Gus. He reclines back on the couch, sinking into cushions with a content sigh. ]

My head's going to explode.

Oh, stop.

[Iona rolls her eyes, but it's obvious she takes Gus's greeting pretty well. Oren is going to the hallway to check on Iona's handiwork with magicking up rooms (it's rather customary between them seeing as how she has a long way to go as a spellcaster) so she hops onto the kitchen counter, dangling her legs while regarding the brothers thoughtfully, now that they're staying with her temporarily.]

Gus, try not to explode, I just cleaned up the apartment.

Edited 2015-06-16 00:46 (UTC)

It's gonna be hard— I mean, look at this place! What is most of this stuff?! Have you seen those cars?!

[ Excitable dog guy No.1. He jumps off the couch and zooms over to the window, oohing and aahing.

Claude hasn't moved too far from the door they came through, though he has a feeling that opening it isn't going to take him back to the cafe. ]

Well, you were just messing with the AC remote-... Ah, the air conditioner. It makes the room cooler, but I think that's easy enough to tell. For the most part though, everything's powered by electricity and the cars outside are powered by gasoline.

Nice view of the city though, right? My grandmother found this spot for me since I have to commute to the university I attend.

Electricity and gasoline...

[ UWOOOOH THIS IS EXCITING!! And universities, too?! Gus is probably going to infiltrate... his eyes are shining. ]

This place is amazing! You're magic, the future is magic, everything is so...

[ a wave of the hand here, to indicate that he has no idea what word he's looking for but IT'S GREAT, THIS IS AWESOME. ]

And you are trying to embarrass me WAY too much.

[SERIOUSLY GUS!!]

Anyways, it looks like you're still awake enough to play around with some tech. I'll go grab my laptop! I think you'll get a kick out of it.

[Said laptop has actually been charging on the kitchen counter, plugged into the outlet. Iona waves both Gus and Claude over, inviting them to take a look.]

Laptop...?

[ What are these words?! The mechanism Iona pulls open is just another thing for him to marvel over, though— the screen! The lights!! The everything!!

Claude isn't as enamored— still a bit wary— but he pulls over calmly, taking a seat next to his brother on the far end of the couch. ]

What is this? A...communicator that shows...other things? I have no idea what I'm talking about?!

Well, that's just ONE thing you can do.

[Iona opens up her laptop, types her password in quickly and the desktop screen pops up. There's various icons and she points to a few of them to explain different functions.]

With laptops, it's like having one huge database. You can communicate with someone using just text, but there's also video and audio calls to utilize. Here, you can write up a bunch of documents, like reports, papers, stories, whatever you need. It also works as entertainment! You can listen and store a TON of music and watch movies, play games, and if you have the right tools, you can even draw-...

Wow. I'm beginning to realize that it's kind of a miracle that my head hasn't exploded.

[ ??? Okay, so much of this flies over Gus's head, but he tries to at least formulate an idea with the information he's given—

—give him a moment, you can probably see the steam rising from his ears. ]

So it's.

An everything device.

[ That's good enough for him right now, he's literally going to burst. ]

I'm going to throw up thanks to all this information...

No throwing up either please. But you're kind of right about it being an everything device.

[She refuses to explain wireless signals and the Internet. Because how the fuck would she explain the Internet?????]

Some "everything" devices are smaller though! Like the one you and Claude have is a little similar in size. Phones and tablets are really all the rage nowadays too. But technology in this century plays a huge part in commerce in ways that are really way too hard for me to explain.

[Getting an idea though!]

Oh! I know, let's make a video call to someone! And you'll might get an idea of how it works.

[ The Internet, still unknown to even the most modern people.

This is still 1000% new to Gus, and Claude just looks like he's given up trying to understand (he has). Don't give your laptop to Gus though, Iona, he'll definitely want to take it apart. ]

Al...right, yeah, sure? I'll follow your lead, so lead away...!

Awesome! Let's see who to call...

[She notices that the brothers are Literally Lost so she tries to be encouraging... In her own way...]

Now, now, both of you, please don't die on me. Trying and using the technology makes it easier to learn than just explaining it anyways!

[She opens up Skype checking to see who's available and to her surprise...!]

Oh! My grandmother's online!

[ Oh! Amidst all this unusual nonsense, finally, a word Gus understands: 'grandmother'. The sad thing is that he doesn't actually understand what Iona's grandmother is like at all, so his confidence will be completely short-lived. ]

Oh! Your famous grandmother? Are we going to talk to her?

Edited 2015-06-16 05:23 (UTC)

[Iona gives an enthusiastic nod.]

Yup! I should give her a heads up about what's been going on with me anyways so she knows I'm doing well.

[ALRIGHT, she clicks on the call icon and for now there's just audio (there are icon images to indicate who Iona's talking to, but Berna's is blank and for good reason)

The call is picked up and a rich voice answers.]

"Jackie! Darling, what are you doing up so late?"

[A rich, but not aged voice. It doesn't... SOUND like a grandmotherly voice at all. Iona puts a finger to her lips towards Gus and Claude, indicating that they should stay quiet for a few moments.]

Just had a long and exciting day Grandma. I just wanted to check in with you before Oren did.

Edited 2015-06-16 05:50 (UTC)

[ Well. Iona hushes the both of them, so Claude gives his brother a sidelong glance that says "it's better if we don't comment"— Gus frowns for a fraction of a second before wisely staying mum. ]

[The voice on the other end clucks her tongue, but chuckles afterward.]

"Oh, but of course! I absolutely love hearing from you. I was afraid you'd just leave me hanging even though I made the effort to teach myself to use these confounded pieces of metal-..."

Yes, yes, and you're doing a great job too. Are you still cooped up in your workshop??

[cue OVERDRAMATIC SIGH]

"Yes, unfortunately. You know how it is; once inspiration sweeps me away into her arms, I'm duty bound to finish these jewelry pieces or I'll be tormented by the things that could have been. I'm telling you after this, I am going out for the weekend and finding someone to play with..."

[Ack, better not let her ramble about her future crazy escapades, so Iona interrupts quickly.]

Actually Grandma, I just wanted to let you know I have two visitors who are new to my cafe who are staying over!

"Oh??"

It's kinda weird though since they're from... a few centuries ago? Eh, but stuff happened and I'm trying to show them the ropes of this good ol' millennium.

"Ah!! Time travelers?? How quaint! That's a rather rare occurrence for the door although you'd THINK people would notice an out of place entrance more easily back then!! Are they there with you right now?"

Mm hm! Here put yourself up on the screen. You remember how to use the webcam, right?

"Give me a second, dear, I'm afraid I'm still dreadfully slow about how this works..."

[There's a shuffling noise and in a few seconds, the video feed pops up and...]

[Well, she certainly looks related to Iona. But the woman who appears on the screen is incredibly youthful almost eerily so.

There is a clear resemblance between Iona and this woman. Dark skin, dark hair, full lips and perhaps similarly shaped eyes and facial structure. But this one was much taller and wore red lipstick instead of the berry colored hue Iona sports. Her long, straight, sleeked back hair reached past her back and she held herself regally exuding a mysterious aura that even reached to the other side. This woman was powerful. It was in the eyes really; in comparison to Iona's warm brown ones, hers was a brighter with a more golden appearance that held the hint to her true age.

. . .

...Also, she was wearing nothing, but a silk kimono style robe that was loosely tied at the waist and thus her upper torso was in clear view, barely covered by the necklaces around her neck. Iona GROANS covering her face with one hand.]

Grandma, put something on! Why am I telling you this again!?

[Jacqueline Berna Oakes shrugs looking amused as she takes a puff from her long and thin pipe.]

"Jackie, this IS something. It counts... Ah, so they're just right there? You could have warned me."

[SHE'S STILL NOT DOING ANYTHING THOUGH.]

... Yeah. Claude, Gus, say hello to my grandmother, Jacqueline Berna Oakes.

[ Uh.

Whoa. ]

—Grandma?!

[ Gus, think of the time... but it's clear from the raised voice and the general boggling that the younger Aubert is. Shocked... to say the least. Cue him sitting up on his perch and leaning in, as if that'd help him make sense of this whole thing, blue eyes opened as wide as they'll go. ]

Iona?! Your grandmother looks like your sister?!

[ Sometimes Gus literally sounds like he's 5, despite his hidden intelligence... Also Berna can hear him?! Gus doesn't seem to realize this. ]

[ Meanwhile, Claude anticipated something like this, so. Here he is, as mild as can be. ]

Good evening, Madame. Please, don't trouble yourself on our accord.

[ Aristocracy etiquette 101. His placidity usually rubs people the wrong way, though. ]

[3... 2... 1...

Berna looks back and forth between the two brothers and then looks at Iona, brows raised looking VERY intrigued.]

"I want one."

No.

[ And, because Gus still thinks Berna can't really hear, he whispers (loudly) to Iona: ]

Why is your grandmother so young and beautiful...

"Dear, I can hear you, you know. That's how this works! You'll need to catch up a bit faster if you want to blend in."

[Berna laughs as she crosses her legs and shakes her head, making her crystal earrings sway and glisten as they catch the light.]

"That one is really too much! I was assuming you told them about what being a witch or warlock meant for us?"

Eh, kind of. But yeah, this is Gus and the other one's Claude. They're from 1879. French.

[The grandmother nods approvingly.]

"I KNEW the charm wasn't out of nowhere. Now, aside from introducing us and letting me know that two men are staying at your place like a good grandchild..." [Berna scoffs jokingly with a roll of her eyes. WHO NEEDS TO BE PROPER GO GET 'EM GRANDDAUGHTER]

"Is there something else you would like of me? Some choice items to assist your new friends?"

Yes! You still have some smartphones and android tablets laying around at your place right? Maybe a laptop or two? You know, because you kept sending them to me and Solomon to try out?? [Iona looks at the brothers]

If you can't sleep, might as well play with something, right?

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