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+--- Thread: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) (/showthread.php?tid=128866)
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Mr.Fabulous - 05-10-2015
"Pleasant evening, dear bartender."
The bartender looked up to find a man in a silk-black suit, of peaked lapels and purple necktie, a black bowler hat on his head and a hip-high ebony cane on one hand, and a rectangular package on the other. He also had a purple-colored rose, pinned with an amethyst brooch by its stem, on one of his suit pockets, which helped to accentuate the tie. But what really caught the bartender's gaze was that every strand of hair on the man, from his mustache and beard down to his eyebrows and shallow sideburns, was colored purple.
The man took off his bowler hat, revealing a full-head of purple hair, and smiled softly through his eccentrically-dyed beard as he continued, "I don't suppose Dr. Nageer is present within the premises? If she is, may I have her permission to meet her in person?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Can I ask why you're looking for her, sir?"
"Let's just say... she agreed on a date with me, and that's all I feel comfortable enough to share with you, dear bartender. I wouldn't want to breach any customer privacy protocols now, would I?"
What a strange choice of words, the bartender thought. "Alright, could you wait a moment, sir?"
"Of course, dear bartender." The man leaned on his cane while waiting, in an almost military-like posture no less, as the bartender took a tray of liquor to some people in the distance.
He noticed a boy sitting on a table close to him, staring directly at his face (enticed by the purple hair, no doubt). The purple-haired man turned his head to share another pleasant smile to the boy and his family, and even gave a friendly wave for good measure. It didn't at all make the boy's gaze go away, but quite frankly, the man didn't mind. He actually liked the attention, to be honest.
When the bartender came back, the man puffed a sigh and said, "So... Do I have Dr. Nageer's permission to meet her, now?"
"Yeah, you can go meet her, sir." After the bartender finished giving him directions to her table, the man nodded his head to him in respect, and followed down the restaurant corridor.
---
Strolling through the corridor, the man slowed his pace as he reached the indicated table. There, he saw a red-haired woman in usual business attire, some food and drink already served to her and a datapad placed flush in front of her.
He cleared his throat audibly to catch her attention, then said, "Pleasant evening, Dr. Nageer. I don't suppose you recognize me from my obvious purple-haired appearance, given that your organization and mine have been trying to... collaborate, not too recently ago."
He then gave a calm, closed-eye smile as he continued, "My name is Pierre Jean Robiquet. And yes... I am the mysterious investor of the fashion boutique you had visited not too long ago. I hope I haven't startled you with my presence from what you were doing a few moments ago. May I have your permission to take a seat by you, milady?"
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Doreen - 05-10-2015
She turned to address the man speaking to her. She was taken aback by the purple hair having never seen it before but she still managed a pleasant smile. With the motion of her hand, she just said, "Please. You must be the gentleman I received the card from." After he took his seat, she extended her hand, "Dr. Doreen Nagger, Chief medical officer for Tinker's Haven. Pleased to meet you."
She took a sip of her wine before continuing, "Not to pick but I must admit that I've never met a man with purple hair. I find it very unique."
She maintained the smile that had become a bit of a trade mark. She wasn't sure what else to talk to him about. He was, after all, more courting her as she wasn't actively looking for Mr. Right.
When he sat, she started with some small talk. "You have a nice boutique. I don't come to Bretonia very often but I like a nice blouse to add to my collection and I bought one," she explained. She then thought on his comment of an attempted collaboration with the Tinkers. "Yes, I do remember your attempt to collaborate with my organization," she mentioned with a degree of caution, "I'm not the diplomatic type so I generally don't get involved with that kind of stuff. My only diplomacy is with medicine. With the oath I took as a medical professional, I figure that treatment to even one who would see me as the enemy would be positive diplomacy don't you agree?"
She took a bite of her food and after swallowing, "How rude of me. Would you care for a drink or a bite to eat? It's on my tab."
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Mr.Fabulous - 05-12-2015
"I would most certainly enjoy something to eat, Dr. Nagger. But while I greatly appreciate your respectable offer to pay for my food costs, I'd rather cover for such myself. I'd rather not burden you with my... sometimes voracious appetite." He beamed a wide, yet relaxed grin to the woman, his pearly-white teeth almost glimmering in the restaurant's light as he said, "My figure may not look like it, but I do quite enjoy and partake very much in the art of food consumption."
Pierre called the bartender as he passed by their table. A plate of the establishment's most popular dish, and a glass of special red wine, were what the gentleman ordered for himself.
As the bartender walked away, the purple-haired gentleman smiled again and said, "And I'm glad you've found a blouse to your liking, Doctor. That is, after all, one of the purposes of the card.
"But a mild correction about what you said a few moments ago, and that is that I don't at all own the boutique. I simply am a man with a lot of credits, who wished to bring an understated store... and perhaps, an understated lady, into the overstated limelight of fashion and beauty."
The man brushed his purple-tinted beard with his normal-tinted thumb and finger as he thought about what to say next. Staring calmly at her, he then said, "Oh, yes. Speaking of fashion and beauty, I brought with me the package of your ballroom gown, right here under the table.
"But because you've taken the liberty of not giving any of your specifications, nor even of your desired or favorite color, to the seamstresses there, I've decided to take the liberty of integrating some of my company's prototype technology into the dress."
He further explained that the dress had been augmented with a specialized cloaking-technology that allowed the user to alter (at will) the cloth's color into any of several color combinations and designs, so that the user would not only never be caught unprepared for dress-code color etiquette in a given occasion, but it would also help the user blend into the environment and hide them from those who wished harm upon them. It even had the added bonus of being able to alter its transparency, just in case the user wished to add variety in the gown's design, or if the user wished for a much... tackier impression.
"I really was hoping we could do this meet-up at the establishment I had originally designated, so that you would have an immediate reason to use the dress. And... to be honest, milady, I'm more in-tune to such places of class and glamour, rather than locations of a... humbler class, such as this."
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Doreen - 05-12-2015
She rested her chin on her folded hand, elbows on the table as he spoke. He did indeed seem like the gentleman that was mentioned. He was, well, handsome, as well even if the purple hair was a bit comical to her. Of it, she said nothing, her gentle smile across her face as she listened.
When he explained the gown, she raised her eyebrows as she broke her hands and reached for her wine.
"Most interesting. I guess I won't have to dig through my wardrobe that much even if I am partial to a bright red or blue. I look forward to trying it on."
When he mentioned a higher class of establishment, she again smiled. She was content with it but wasn't one to spoil a good time. "I'm a simple Rheinland girl from Hamburg," she explained, "I had humble upbringings and was taught the values of an honest day's work. This, Sir, is a huge step over the local Hamburg eateries and establishments I frequented growing up although Mom's home cooking is something I miss." She then sighed and frowned a bit before returning to her smile.
"I am tired but if you wish something better, say, tomorrow night, I am game for it."
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Mr.Fabulous - 05-13-2015
When it was his turn to listen, at first he focused on her smile. While it was in no way the award-winning smile of a million-credit fashion model, it had a strange, entrancing aura about it. A sincere, almost homely glow surrounding it. Even with her lack of makeup, or that her hair was a bit dry and frazzled due to either the day's events or the simple fact that it was not re-bonded, there was one thing that the doctor got right, and that was her pleasant smile. A smile that could win her a commercial or two, if her hair was treated right and she was given a professional makeover.
But as he heard her explain her upbringings, his smile noticeably lowered, even bordering that of a deep frown. The value of an honest day's work was most certainly to be appreciated, but the fact that this... this modest establishment was as high as this Chief Medical Officer could ever get, it almost brought a tear to the gentleman's eye. And that frown of hers at the end, he could feel his own heart sink upon seeing it! A fashion-and-luxury-goods corporation CEO like he would not stand for such travesty!
He quickly, yet gracefully, stood up from his seat, and after a few quick fixes on his suit, he turned to the woman and said, "Dr. Nagger, I agree, and emphasize with your fatigue. A woman of your status and of your values does indeed deserve to be treated to a world of finer living."
Despite his best efforts to keep his composure, the woman could clearly see the fire forming in the gentleman's eyes and the determination building in his voice as he continued, "I became the man who I was and am because I have this dream I wish to accomplish. A dream where every person, no matter their socio-economic or financial status, should at least once in their lifetime be able to see... be able to taste, and be able to experience the beauty and privilege that is higher living.
"To hear that this establishment is as high as your hard-earned efforts has gotten you to is, to my ears, an affront of sin that must be solved with utmost immediacy."
Like a surreal dream, the gentleman's black clothes suddenly began to shimmer into a dazzling shade of purple. From the tops of his shoulders to the tips of his shoes, the purple began to cascade over the blackness of his clothes, like a river torrent washing away the filth and pollution preceding it, until his entire body was left glowing in the restaurant's limelight like a brilliant purple star.
"My dear, sweet Dr. Doreen Nagger, " he began again while offering his hand to her in a grand gesture, "may you please grant this humble gentleman the permission to take you to worlds beyond your wildest imaginations, to cities of glamour and wonder and awe, to cuisines of the highest of tastes, prepared by universe-renowned chefs of the highest of reputations, and to--"
The gentleman hesitated. He had just caught himself and had realized what he was doing, in the middle of a quaint restaurant. Blushing a shade of embarrassed pink, he sheepishly smiled as his suit began to shimmer back to its former black coloration, hoping that no one else had seen that brief show there.
He sat back down on his chair and, after he cleared his throat, he said with another smile, "Oh, pardon me dearly for my over-dramatized actions there, doctor. I do tend to get carried away with my emotions, you see. I do hope I haven't startled you with my sudden outburst there, milady."
And as if right on cue, the bartender came by and placed the gentleman's dish and drink on the table.
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Doreen - 05-13-2015
She smiled a bit sourly with a light head shake. "You don't know me very well, Monsieur," she said, the almost gone Rheinland accent showing on the Monsieur. "I'm lucky to be alive. If my pod was never found sometime back, I wouldn't be here. It is events like that that make one appreciate what they have, to appreciate even the simpler pleasures of life. I made a vow after I straightened myself out that I would help people and I did."
She waved around a bit at the establishment, "I like this place. I need quiet after a long day and I get that here. As I said, I'm a simple Rheinland girl who has been well treated by the Fynn McScrap and the rest of my people at a time when my own homeland banished my family. Luxury as I've found is mostly for the powerful, for royalty and I'm neither. Power corrupts and I've seen how spoiled Royalty can be. It's a life I could never so much as marry into or even accept."
She took a breath and a drink. "Now, these things you speak of. Fine cuisine, cities of wonder, awe and such. While I wouldn't mind seeing them, I would be overwhelmed. Mind you, I have something to get home too so long trips aren't much of something that I favor.
She pulled up a picture on her datapad of her son and showed it to him. "That is Benjen, my six year old. He's my life and the only man in it for now. He is in good hands right now but misses his mother. He's also a lot more patient and understanding than I am."
His hair was black and had Doreen's smile. By the picture, he was happy.
She took the datapad back and sipped her wine.
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Mr.Fabulous - 05-13-2015
Pierre smiled at seeing the picture of Doreen's son. "He looks happy, madam, I'm quite glad of that. It's... more than most could ever hope for."
He couldn't help but chuckle as the doctor took back the datapad, making her raise her eyebrow at what was funny. "Oh, pardon me, milady," he said, "I'll tell you this much. It's not that I don't know you very well, but that it's been a while since I've met someone as down-to-the-ground as you, doctor.
"... So because you've decided to share a picture of your beloved kin, I guess it would be right and proper of me to share one of mine to you."
He took out a datapad from his own suit pocket and pressed a few menu's until he got to where he wanted. The gentleman then turned the pad around, where the doctor could see what looked like a brown-haired woman, sitting with her hands busy in front of a sewing machine, her warm smile betrayed by frazzled, curly hair and dark, sleepless crescents beneath her eyelids.
He took a sip from his own wine as he explained the picture was that of his mother. She was a dressmaker, he explained, making various gowns for various fashion brands in Gallia. She loved her work, but the fashion industry was a cruelly-competitive trade, and it consumed her for hours, days, even weeks on end.
"You say power corrupts, doctor, but I can tell you that the other end of the socio-economic spectrum don't fare any better. In fact, it's worse... much, much worse," he said with a blank, almost thousand-yard look. "It breaks even the hardiest of backs, sours even the sweetest of souls. I've seen children turn into mercenaries, turn mercenaries into criminals, and turn criminals into vegetables, both figuratively and literally. And I don't think you'd fancy to know what I meant by the latter. I myself didn't fancy such a hand-to-mouth existence of subsistence, living day-to-day by the scraps of the bourgeoisie, surviving under the boots of demanding clientele more powerful than I.
"So I promised myself I would fight tooth and nail to drag my family from that bleak, dreary existence, and forge a glimmering sliver of hope and freedom for not only myself and my mother... but also for the countless others who've found themselves in those dreaded circles of hell called poverty."
With a finger-press on the screen, the picture on the datapad was changed to that of a 'Lucullus' Gallic Luxury Liner, its shining hull a centerpiece against the backdrop of a brilliant, orange gas giant. On its side was etched a purple, eight-rayed sun, the very symbol Doreen saw on the card a while back.
"And this is my answer so far." In-between bites from his dish, he continued, "With my so-called power, I've been able to provide for, feed for, and beautify the lives of millions of individuals and their countless other families. I've been able to clothe and inspire generations of artists, both aspiring and established.
"And best of all," he further said, "with my power, I not only can say with confidence that I can be an aspect of positive change in the universe: I can actually say that I am an aspect of such positive change. Power does not necessarily corrupt, doctor. Power is simply a multiplier of one's true self. A man of evil will most certainly be capable of greater evil with power... but I can also say that a man of good is equally likely of greater good, if given that same power."
He took another sip of his glass of wine, and after he downed the meager swig, he sighed. "I only wished that my mother had stayed long enough with me, so I could share with her the many gifts that I have reaped in her... our... name.
"... But I suppose that's why you and I are here... so I may share my countless blessings and gifts with mothers who still have plenty more days yet to enjoy with their sons. Wouldn't you say that that is a good use of such aforementioned power, my dear doctor?"
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Doreen - 05-14-2015
She asked to see the picture of the Luxury liner, the thin gold bracelet on her wrist hanging a bit as she received it. She looked at it.
"Such a lovely ship," she said softly as she handed it back to him, "I'm assuming you use it for humanitarian aid? That's a very noble cause if you do."
She thought for a moment, "You once approached the Tinkers for relations. Understandably they are fearful of Gallic Royals. Somehow, you are different. I mean, the Royals we know about care only about the DeFrance family and rule via birthright. We know them as brutal and I've had to treat many of the refugees that they have caused. Like you, I've made a difference to many. It's my life's mission."
She then nodded, "Yes, that is a good use of power. It's a damned shame that so few do it. I want to go to Gallia some day but I won't do it knowing that my curiosity would get me killed, captured, jailed, tortured or whatever. I already went through that with one government and group of people. I won't do it again."
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Mr.Fabulous - 05-15-2015
"That luxury liner is the SEI]-Rennes," Pierre said, taking particular notice of Doreen's gold bracelet. "It does partake itself in occasional humanitarian aid, but..." He thought about what she said, and the more he did, the more its possibilities behind them opened up in his head.
After a brief pause, he smiled and said, "... You know what? I think you have a point, milady. Involving my company directly in the humanitarian effort would not only be great for publicity, but more importantly it'll open the doors for both them and my company to create job opportunities and help us create new lives from the ashes of the wars-as-of-late.
"... But I'll need to establish greater market share and launch another luxury liner or two to open up those jobs, perhaps hire a few mercenaries to open up the way for such an endeavor as well. I'll also have a lot on my silver platter with human resources about taking in possible Bretonian affiliates. Nevertheless, food for thought, I suppose," he said half to himself.
He reached for his glass of wine, but he quickly found out it was empty and said to himself, "Oh, what a bother. Ah well, the bartender should be here in a jiffy. And speaking of 'in a jiffy'..."
The gentleman then returned his gentle gaze to the doctor and smiled. "You know, dear doctor... I'm supposed to report back to my company within the week, and I would most greatly appreciate if you'll give me the permission to take you with me for a short, three-day trip on the Rennes to Gallia and back...
"... but, obviously, and, quite understandably, I suppose you wouldn't, or at least don't yet trust me not to kidnap you to use you as leverage to get your organization to proceed with my plan-of-operations, or use such aforementioned capture in order to ravage and lewdly-consume you for my own selfish pleasures, or any other of the sort of distasteful actions best not mentioned on a pleasant dinner such as this. So instead, I have what I believe to be a most proper proposition for you, my dear doctor."
The gentleman grabbed the last forkful of food from his plate, but rather than take it into his mouth, he instead left it hanging on his hand as he leaned his chin on the other, the elbow on the table, with gave a calm, yet daringly-cheshire grin on his face. "Before anything else, I would most greatly appreciate your permission for a second date on the establishment I originally intended, as a start.
"And when and if you would grant me your said permission for a second date, my proposition would be this: that upon, and only upon, its conclusion to be favorable for both you and I, would you then decide whether or not you would grant and entrust me with the permission to take you and perhaps your son, if possible and should-you-so-desire-to, on my ship back to Rheinland, where we would then be picked up by the Rennes for a marvelous three-day third-date vacation on my headquarters-resort in Planet Marseille, Gallia. This way, you'll be able conduct your decision with full and unbridled confidence in not only of your fully-realized opinion of me by then, but also in my hopefully-realized sincerity not to take advantage of you at all.
"Does my proposition seem fair and forthright to you, my dear doctor?"
With that, he awaited her response with a smile of crystal-clear eagerness, the fork still clutched between his free hand's two fingers like a mock cigar, or another form of symbolism of some sorts.
RE: To Tinker with a Tinker's Heart. (//Dr. Doreen Nagger and Pierre Robiquet RP) - Doreen - 05-15-2015
She listened to his proposals. A second date, if one would call this one a first, sounded reasonable. A trip into Gallia sounded great too but she was apprehensive. There were a lot of questions.
"I'll tell you what," she answered, "the second date sounds fine. I should have my conferences wrapped up by tomorrow around lunch." She nodded, "I accept."
"But," she continued, "your proposal for a trip into Gallia I'm not too sure. I'm expected back before that so I need to confer with my boss and at the very least let him know of my whereabouts."
She thought a moment, "if you want his blessing, there's a base in Champagne he may want me to go to. That is one of my end goals."
She finished her wine as she awaited his response.