A Multiverse Christmas Carol: Stave Two
Dec. 14th, 2012 09:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickThis one's actually slightly out of order, mostly because I wasn't sure if I was going to do it or no. But Doc and Marty insisted on having a bigger role in this, so here they are:
Stave Two:
“Now, in this season of giving, it has been decided that – um – that we should. . . .”
It was the glaring that finally got to Marty. That unrelenting, hard-eyed stare. He crushed the roll of paper in his hands. “Look, the guy running this is new,” he said desperately, pushing his hat back on his head. “He made us come here!”
“Did he,” Edna replied, not sounding impressed in the slightest.
“The man is an eternal optimist,” Doc explained, sighing. “He was hoping we could persuade you to make some sort of donation this year, despite your reluctance for the past decade. . . .” He shook his head. “I’m honestly surprised you don’t ever give anything, though. Back when – I knew you, you were all about charity. You delivered soup for soup kitchens, tried to help drunks get back on their feet. . . .”
“All poppycock,” Edna declared. “I was a foolish young woman, and you know it. The soup kitchen was merely a front for the mob, and those drunks – well, nothing could help them. It’s impossible to get through to those sorts, so I gave up. One must look after their own interests first, otherwise the country’s done for. Besides, I still support some institutions that look after the poor and the addicted.”
“Do you?” Doc said, starting to smile.
“Yes. Prisons and workhouses.”
The smile vanished. “I can’t speak for prisons, but most people would rather die than go to a workhouse.”
“Then they should do so. Decrease the surplus population. There’s too many young people being silly and disgusting out in public as it is.”
Marty was plenty mad at Strickland for that already – but it was catching sight of the stricken look on Victor Van Dort’s face that made him want to punch her.
Doc and Marty, as you might guess, have the roles of the two gentlemen to come to ask Scrooge to give to the poor. Of course, in this world, the relationship is a little more complex -- Doc and Edna, of course, spent a few months as boyfriend and girlfriend in this world, just like they did in the game. They broke up after Edna was caught trying to burn down Kid Tannen's speakeasy. (No time travel shenanigans here -- this crossover is complex enough as-is.) Doc does not have the role of Belle as well, though -- Kid's actually the one with that mantle, more or less. We'll get into that more when the Ghost of Christmas Past shows up. Anyway, the duo as we know them are pretty much just bit players in the overall story. Enjoy their cameo!
-TTV: You bring up an interesting point at the end -- how did Bob Cratchit feel when Scrooge said that?-
Probably horrible. Whole reason I had Victor react the way he did. I wouldn't be surprised if he's had some very dark thoughts about his employer now and then. And of course Alice doesn't care tuppence for the woman. Still, a paycheck's a paycheck -- we'll be getting into that more later as well.
So yes, that's that for two. I don't know if it'll be the only out of order one -- depends on how I handle the remaining staves. As it is, I have things to attend to on tumblr.
Stave Two:
“Now, in this season of giving, it has been decided that – um – that we should. . . .”
It was the glaring that finally got to Marty. That unrelenting, hard-eyed stare. He crushed the roll of paper in his hands. “Look, the guy running this is new,” he said desperately, pushing his hat back on his head. “He made us come here!”
“Did he,” Edna replied, not sounding impressed in the slightest.
“The man is an eternal optimist,” Doc explained, sighing. “He was hoping we could persuade you to make some sort of donation this year, despite your reluctance for the past decade. . . .” He shook his head. “I’m honestly surprised you don’t ever give anything, though. Back when – I knew you, you were all about charity. You delivered soup for soup kitchens, tried to help drunks get back on their feet. . . .”
“All poppycock,” Edna declared. “I was a foolish young woman, and you know it. The soup kitchen was merely a front for the mob, and those drunks – well, nothing could help them. It’s impossible to get through to those sorts, so I gave up. One must look after their own interests first, otherwise the country’s done for. Besides, I still support some institutions that look after the poor and the addicted.”
“Do you?” Doc said, starting to smile.
“Yes. Prisons and workhouses.”
The smile vanished. “I can’t speak for prisons, but most people would rather die than go to a workhouse.”
“Then they should do so. Decrease the surplus population. There’s too many young people being silly and disgusting out in public as it is.”
Marty was plenty mad at Strickland for that already – but it was catching sight of the stricken look on Victor Van Dort’s face that made him want to punch her.
Doc and Marty, as you might guess, have the roles of the two gentlemen to come to ask Scrooge to give to the poor. Of course, in this world, the relationship is a little more complex -- Doc and Edna, of course, spent a few months as boyfriend and girlfriend in this world, just like they did in the game. They broke up after Edna was caught trying to burn down Kid Tannen's speakeasy. (No time travel shenanigans here -- this crossover is complex enough as-is.) Doc does not have the role of Belle as well, though -- Kid's actually the one with that mantle, more or less. We'll get into that more when the Ghost of Christmas Past shows up. Anyway, the duo as we know them are pretty much just bit players in the overall story. Enjoy their cameo!
-TTV: You bring up an interesting point at the end -- how did Bob Cratchit feel when Scrooge said that?-
Probably horrible. Whole reason I had Victor react the way he did. I wouldn't be surprised if he's had some very dark thoughts about his employer now and then. And of course Alice doesn't care tuppence for the woman. Still, a paycheck's a paycheck -- we'll be getting into that more later as well.
So yes, that's that for two. I don't know if it'll be the only out of order one -- depends on how I handle the remaining staves. As it is, I have things to attend to on tumblr.
