[ic] Packing List

[whydidithavetobemummies]

Okay, here's what I've got.

• Clothes.
• Thompson.
• Colt one.
• Someone's ridiculous Derringer. Actually, I'm not carrying that around in public.
• Colt two.
• BAR.
• New gun bag. Some nine-thousand-year-old thing came back from the dead long enough to eat my old one.
• Sandwiches.

Anyone else got any bright ideas? Evy, suggestions?

Comments

[proudofwhatiam]

Nothing yet. Give me a minute, perhaps I can figure out where we are.

...Have you seen Jonathan about? You might be carrying the Derringer a while longer if we can't find him.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

The longer we wait, the more time we're giving for undead things to find us. I know how this works.

I haven't seen him. D'you want this thing?

[proudofwhatiam]

Oh, no, we're on holiday from the undead right now. Next time we're in Egypt, perhaps, but until then...

I don't know what I'd do with it.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

You say that now, and then we're gonna stumble into a room with a row of sarcophaguses. Sarcophagi? Whatever. I said I know how this works.

Shoot things with it?

[proudofwhatiam]

Well, for all I know, we are back in Egypt--though I've never seen anything like this building, have you?

[After giving him the sort of look that says really?, she shrugs and holds out her hand for the pistol.] I suppose I might as well.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

In a dream, maybe... But you might as well be prepared. [Smiles cheerily, begins reloading gun.]

[He pulls the derringer out of his back pocket and hands it to her.] Don't wanna break a family tradition.

[proudofwhatiam]

[She takes the derringer and tucks it into the pocket of her cardigan. Gun safety, what's that?] Suppose not.

[And while he's loading his gun, she takes a closer look at this building.] Coquaigne...well, that's curious.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

What? Medicine? [He looks around.] Is that the, uh, French spelling?

[proudofwhatiam]

No--well, it's the French spelling, but not of that sort of cocaine. This is a different vice altogether. [She glances over at him, grinning.] Cockaigne was--well, it was like Atlantis or El Dorado to medieval Europeans. Mythical land where nobody works and food rains from the sky.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

[Rick looks up and frowns.] Were there mummies in this Atlantis?

[proudofwhatiam]

[She shakes her head.] Imagine you're a peasant in...oh, let's say the 1300s. And you work in a field all day, backbreaking work. When you're done for the night, you tell stories about a place where you never have to work, just feast all the time. Mummies would be a bit intrusive in your fantasy.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

[And Rick begins to listen in earnest, nodding along and considering the concept.] Huh. No mummies. Any ancient warrior guardians?

[proudofwhatiam]

Not one, unless the truth was substantially different from the stories. Of course-- [and she looks back at the building, the neon graveyard, the scrub, and the dusty, pebbly earth] --it wasn't described anything like this.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

What was it described like? Besides really... shiny?

[proudofwhatiam]

Less shiny, more...rolling fields and houses made of food. It was medieval Europe, none of them had ever seen a desert.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

Lucky them. [But he puts his gun back into his pocket. Gun safety indeed.] Might as well have a look around. I wouldn't say no to a food house right about now.

[proudofwhatiam]

Neither would I. [It sounds rather better than standing around outside in the blazing sun--and oh, look, the grand entranceway awaits.] Shall we?

[whydidithavetobemummies]

[Rick nods his head forward,] Ladies first. [He pulls one of the colts out as a safety precaution.]

[proudofwhatiam]

That's not so gentlemanly of you when we've got no idea what we're getting into. [She's kidding, though, and smiling as she heads towards the doors.] Once more unto the breach.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

[Rick harrumphs a little and steps in front of her. The doors open, and he looks inside, gaping a little.] Oh... [Don't swear in front of the pretty lady.] Wow. Swanky digs you've got there.

[proudofwhatiam]

[And she just smiles beatifically and walks in. And then her eyes widen as she stares up at the chandelier above the empty reception desk.] Oh, my. This is lovely. So...it's an hotel?

[whydidithavetobemummies]

I've never seen a hotel that looks like this... [Rick wonders idly if he could turn this into something romantic. But she probably doesn't want to be swept off her feet, right now, he's a bit sweaty anyway.] You like it?

[proudofwhatiam]

It's gorgeous. [This could lead to a romantic interlude, Rick! But it'll require some pretty straightforward hinting, because she's in curiosity mode right now.] But there's no staff...I wonder where everyone is.

[whydidithavetobemummies]

[Rick is wondering how he'd manage to pull the gear for rrrrromance. Smoke may as well be funneling from his ears.] Maybe they're all on vacation. It's certainly summer outside. [He strides ahead.] C'mon, kid, let's go exploring.

[proudofwhatiam]

What a peculiar time for an holiday. [But yes, let's go exploring. Evy is all in for this prospect--and oh, look, a map! She goes over to read and frown at it.] It's...it's a casino.