Salvage

[aquatic_light]

There's an utter mess scattered over Washed Up Beach today, and a few people who seem to be trying to clean it up. Since the weather in the Nexus is always warm enough to go swimming (except when it isn't) there's also one family already who arrived with a picnic basket and found the beach just isn't suitable for that today. Care to have a look?

(This continues just after this scene. Feel free to talk to anyone there if you want, or just walk up and start poking around. I just ask that no one successfully walk off with any critical parts as there are plans to put that back together. XD )

Comments

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee nods] That's okay -- we think we've got everything, just being extra-careful. [she tilts her head] Oh? Why?

[lastest_ringbearer]

We had--no, the Precious had Smeagol for many a long long year. *He holds out a gilded hand.* Nasssty magic, all grasssping and lying.

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee's eyes widen when she looks at his hand] Oooooh. That's -- not what I was expecting. [she tilts her head this way and that] I'm sorry you had to go through that. I've been in somebody else's power once -- not nearly as long, but it's awful. [thanks for stealing her once, Biff.]

[lastest_ringbearer]

We wasss alone for centuries--I was alone but for the One. Sometimes poor Smeagol talked to himself, or to the Preciousss, or both. It was almossst the same thing by the end, gollum. *The last is a sob more than anything else. He rubs his hands as if they pain him still and looks away.* Nothing to eat but little cave fish and maybe a goblin if we were very good at hunting. Nothing tasssty.

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee bites her lip] I'm sorry. I -- I don't even know what I'd do if I were alone for centuries, with nobody to talk to. It sounds miserable. [and makes her glad she wasn't sentient for her 70-year wait in that abandoned mine]

[after a moment, she adds] Do -- do you want me to help you find some fish? [she'd offer him something else to eat, but she's not sure where the nearest restaurant is -- nor what he might even like]

[lastest_ringbearer]

Fish would be nice, yesss. You have sssome?

[dee_lorean81]

Not on me, but I can help you look. [said as she starts rolling up her pants above her knees]

[lastest_ringbearer]

You'll jussst ssstartle them if you're not knowing how! And then poor Smeagol goes hungry, yesss. Hungry and cold, sss, yesss.

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee frowns] Hmmmm. . .well then, there must be someplace to eat around here. Don't beaches usually have food stands? [then again, this is a pretty atypical beach. . .still, it should be worth a look] We could try and go find one. Be something other than fish.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Sssomthing new?

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee nods] Yeah! Like -- well, I dunno what's in a hot dog, but there's something called a "burger" that's ground up cow meat between two pieces of bread. Sometimes they put lettuce and onions and cheese on it.

[lastest_ringbearer]

Bread? We thinks we forgot the tassste of bread long ago now. Praps we'll try it anew, yesss.

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee grins] Okay then! I didn't see anything back that way -- [she points back to where she came from] -- so let's try and see if there's anything this way. [points ahead]

[lastest_ringbearer]

We likes that plan.

[dee_lorean81]

[And so Dee will lead the way down the beach, walking with purpose as she looks around for anything resembling a food stand. . .

And after a couple of minutes, spots a rather ramshackle-looking building looming up before them] Oooh -- hopefully that's not just showers. . .

[lastest_ringbearer]

*He scrambles up to it, curious.*

[dee_lorean81]

[It is some outdoor showers, with a door into the building leading to more private toilets. But after that is indeed a food stand, manned by a rather bored-looking teenager that Dee is pretty certain is of the human persuasion] Uh -- hi?

[lastest_ringbearer]

Food. We wants it. *Smeagol can be kind of . . . blunt sometimes.*

[dee_lorean81]

[The bored teenager barely blinks an eye at Smeagol] Mind being more specific?

[Dee steps in] We're looking for burgers. You've got those, right?

[The teenager nods, switching to a proper "customer service" voice] Plain, cheese, and bacon and cheese. All with your choice of lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mustard. And turkey or veggie patties if you don't want beef.

[lastest_ringbearer]

*Smeagol is not used to not being stared at.*

We can have lotsss of meat, yessss?

[dee_lorean81]

[The teenager's voice doesn't even wobble -- he must be used to the Nexus as well. Or at least had a LOT of customer service experience] You can get a double patty, yeah. And if you want meat, you want the bacon.

[Dee nods] Whatcha think? Double beef patty with bacon and cheese?

[lastest_ringbearer]

*Smeagol nods and licks his lips.*

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee, to the teenager] Okay, so that's one double bacon and cheese -- just the bacon and cheese -- and I'll have a single bacon and cheese with lettuce and ketchup and mustard.

[teenager nods] Be -- you using American dollars? [Dee nods, the teen punches something on the cash register] Seven-forty-seven, please. It'll be out in just a few.

[lastest_ringbearer]

*Smeagol has no idea what dollars are, so he lets Dee get on with it.*

[dee_lorean81]

[Dee pays the teenager, who disappears into the back for a bit. A couple of minutes later, he has two cardboard boxes] All right, one double b&c and one single b&c with lettuce.

[Dee, smiling] Thanks! [she takes the boxes and hands Smeagol's over to him]