2nd Floor Common Room [Thursday, Late Afternoon]

[withasword.livejournal.com]

Today was a quiet day. Kate hadn't even done her usual training routine. She took issue with running outside as soon as the weather reached the sort of level that risked her ploughing into another person, wall, or poorly placed tree thanks to pelting rain, mud and cold.

... Yeah, and if she was quite honest, she just wasn't feeling it this week. But the wet and cold was a good excuse.

All of which led to Kate being here, in the common room, half-reading a book on cryptids. Which in her experience, did exist, and usually had teeth. Metaphorically or literally. Too many times to count had she found this out at the wrong moment. Her mind however, was also half on the upcoming holiday, and how best to break it to Greg that she really didn't want to come back for it.

The large plate of cookies on the coffee table had been found behind the door. It was likely she was waiting for a suitable guinea pig before she risked trying them herself.

[[ common room is open, as these things are! ]]

Comments

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

Elphaba had found her way into the common room for... well, just because she'd felt the need to be social. It wasn't a normal urge for her, certainly, but it seemed reasonable after all that had happened recently.

When she saw Kate, she gave the girl an acknowledging nod. "I think I still have your knife," she said.

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"I've got plenty," Kate assured her, glancing up from her book, and tipping a nod of a return greeting. "No rush." It wasn't like there weren't more where that one came from.

"Did it come in useful?"

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"Yes, actually," Elphaba said. "Though I'll be happier if I'm never attacked by something that's supposed to already be dead again."

"Thank you, by the way. I don't know if I said it at the time."

[withasword.livejournal.com]

Kate nodded, flicking her book shut. "I've got a talent for being prepared for those sorts of things." She shrugged. It was handy.

"We were just lucky they weren't the sort of undead things you get back where I'm from." In that case, they would probably be dead. "I'd take the flaming, shambly one."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"You get them where you are from?" Elphaba asked, settling into a seat nearby to Kate. "Often?"

That sounded unpleasant.

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"You can sign up to be one, if you're really desperate. They take applications." Her world was a delightful one, it really was. "It's a billion dollar industry."

So yeah, often enough to be too much for Kate. Or most sane people.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

Elphaba blinked a few times at Kate.

"Is that a joke?" she said, completely unsure.

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"I don't joke about the walking dead." Actually, she probably had or would at some point. In this case however, no she was not kidding.

"There's a waiting list." It did sound like a joke, didn't it? "Say if someone has a terminal illness, they can apply, maybe get some money for their family. Like donating to science."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"So they volunteer to be mindless dead-but-not things," Elphaba said. "Just to give money to their families. I'm... that sounds insane."

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't do it," Kate agreed, mouth twisting in distaste. In fact, the idea sickened her to think of. "But people have desperate times."

"It's all carefully vetted and totally legal, scarily enough. The People aren't allowed to make their undead without jumping through hoops and making absolutely sure none are going to get loose."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"And then these people just... get an army of the departed loved ones of the poor?" Elphaba said, thinking this was super insane.

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"Most people are worth more as vampires than they are alive." There was a hint of disgust that slipped into her tone. Kate thought it was insane too, to be quite honest. "They consider it a science. Expanding magical knowledge for future generations."

"But yes, basically." Super insane. "So you could say I'm used to dealing with that sort of thing."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"I think there's much more to you than I could have even imagined," Elphaba said, a little curious. "Though I won't insist on prying, either."

She looked over at the cookies. "I'm guessing those aren't vegan," she said.

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"Probably not," Kate admitted, looking over them speculatively. "I didn't make them. Which is probably why they look like cookies, not something a truck rolled over." Presentation was not her strong suit.

"They were just here. Nearly tripped over them walking in the door."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Elphaba said. "Well, then I really won't touch them. Abandoned cookies are not exactly to be trusted. It could be a nice gesture, or... it could be like the awful rolls at the Thanksgiving feast."

[withasword.livejournal.com]

"They weren't vegan either?" Kate asked, twisting a small smirk. She hadn't been to Thanksgiving, so had missed the wonders of Karla's baking.

However, she wasn't all that fussy. She'd probably eaten worse at some point.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"They were just... not very good," Elphaba said. "And didn't really resemble normal bread rolls."

If she had any idea who had actually made them, she wouldn't be saying a thing.