Third Floor Common Room, Wednesday Evening

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara was on her way into the common room to see what was on television when she passed by a rat in a state of dishabillé, hiding behind the door frame, peeking in at a large group of rats in petticoats.

The one in the center was on a chair or stool of some kind, and singing,

Poor wandering one!
Though thou hast surely stra-ayed,
Take heart of grace,
Thy steps retrace,
Poor wandering one!

The singing rat hopped off the stool and gestured toward the door, almost as if she knew the rat in his knickers was standing there, sighing wistfully at her.

Poor wandering one!
If such poor love as mine
Can help thee find
True peace of mind
Why, take it, it is thine!
Take heart, fair days will shine;
Take any heart take mine!

Inara gave the rat a little nudge forward with her foot, then walked into the room and took a seat on the couches, wondering what else she would see.

[ooc: Open! We're in the first act of Pirates of Penzance, if anyone wants to play along!]

Comments

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"I don't think most human musicians bother doing laundry..." Dick said.

[solo_sword]

"It wouldn't be a certain common room performance, would it?" she asked with a little wince.

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"Fun. Insanity. They had the costumes anyway so why not?" Dick suggested. "Nobody's really sure."

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"If I win, I get maybe diseased pie," Dick pointed out. "If I lose, I got beat by a rat. It's lose-lose."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Is this something people who aren't rats do, or is it exclusively for them?"

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"Some people do it," Dick said. "This is the first time I've seen rats do it, but I don't find it too surprising."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"How did you guess?"

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella smiled, clearly not at all offended. She wasn't much for royalty herself, really.

"He's a good friend to me," she said, ignoring anythign more than friendship that she felt. "I'm going to karaoke with Dick tomorrow night -- perhaps I should dedicate something to Char. It'd be something to tell him about the next time I write, anyhow."

[solo_sword]

"Because I'm still worried that damn thing is going to end up in the hands of one of my superior officers," Jaina grumbled.

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara couldn't help asking all these questions, even if she wanted to. "Because they often run around in costume? Or is there some other reason related specifically to the rats on this planet?"

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella frowned. "Perhaps not," she said. "I haven't known many musicians. Are they more averse to housekeeping than the norm?"

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"I just always got the feeling that rats had something else going on," Dick said with a shrug.

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"It's part of the rock and roll lifestyle," Dick said. "Dirty clothes, poor hygiene, all that kind of stuff. I can't explain it, I can only observe it from a safe distance."

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

And none of that made the least bit of sense to Ella, so:

"Oh," she frowned. "It sounds smelly. And better observed from that distance."

[solo_sword]

"I'm taking Escape Artistry," she explained. "If it doesn't come up, I might be disappointed."

There was a pause. "Pretend that didn't sound bad."

[solo_sword]

"If you win I might throw in a couple extra credits..." she offered. No, she wasn't serious.

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"Enough about them, though," Dick said. "Have you gotten out much since we left Antarctica? It's beautiful out there."

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"It didn't sound bad at all," Ella said automatically. "If it's a class on escaping, you would want to learn about all sorts of escapes, right?"

She was innocent enough to say this without blushing, amazingly enough.

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I have enough money," Dick said. "I don't need to fight a rat for more."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I think that sounds like a very nice idea," she nodded, "and good friends are important. Especially here."

She covered a shiver by pulling the sleeves of her shirt down to cover her wrists.

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Okay." She wasn't quite sure what to say to that either, this conversation having moved beyond all her conversational training. "Are you a new student?"

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"I've been around for a couple months now," Dick said. "Dick Grayson. Nice to meet you."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Oh, heavens, that's right. Have you asked Gavin if he has a copy, because I have a feeling he might?"

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

"I haven't," Ella said woefully. "I had classes yesterday and today, and Monday I got caught up in other things. I handwavily walked on the beach to enjoy the weather, but I haven't been off the island yet. Have you?"

[laidanegg.livejournal.com]

"I haven't been off the island yet, but I've actually gone outside more," Dick said. "Something about Antarctica encouraged me to stay inside, you know?"