strangetrip | Entries tagged with ned leeds

The last check-in day had come and gone as quietly as most other days, but Tony had made it a point to linger around the lobby every two weeks. It was tradition, after all. You could only be cynical about a pink eldritch prison for so long before you felt the need to inject some decorum, however half-assed.

During a quiet trip to a Wisconsin suburb Otherworlds, Tony had snagged an old Harley-Davidson calendar at a garage sale (why not), unique in that the previous owner had filled every single square with national holidays. Today was National Linguine Day. Truly, the most hallowed of all holidays. To celebrate, he made an order to the kitchen to bless the inn with trays of pasta, inclusive to all diets. No gluten or dairy for him, see how long that lasted.

Despite the swift approach of fall, San Luis Obispo boasted sun and 70 degree weather, so Tony arranged a chair and table outside and fiddled with a little mechanical orb the size of a jawbreaker. He prodded at its insides with a screwdriver while his half-eaten pasta dish sat ignored, his glasses magnifying the orb's internal features.

st_guyinthechair

Ned was on his second pie today which didn't seem like a lot until you realized he was eating all of it on his own. He was working on his laptop this time, so he was using the whole 'brain fuel' thing as an excuse, but the fact was he had been designing the text-based game with Peter before he left so the whole thing was still basically stress eating.

When he took a break and checked his journal - not that he knew why, no one really wrote him anymore - he dropped the book when he saw there was a new entry from Peter. Peter. Leaving his laptop in the cafe, his face still having evidence of the cherry pie he was eating, Ned ran all the way too Peter's room and knocked. Of course, now he was doubled over and out of breath.

st_hotflashes

When Liz woke up in the morning, she didn't think anything of the fact that Peter wasn't beside her - he normally went to make muffins the mornings they spent the night tonight. Liz knew, too, that it was arrival day and she was scheduled to work so it made sense for the early morning. After she showered and dressed and Peter still hadn't come back, Liz had gone to the kitchens. Mary was doing some baking for the day and told her she hadn't seen Peter all morning. Bo was going through the stock under the bar - she also hadn't seen Peter. When Liz went to Peter's room and Alec confirmed that he wasn't there, she started to get worried. Instead of continuing her search, she went to the front desk.

"I'd like to find out what room Peter Parker is in." She took a deep breath and when the man behind the desk said there was no 'Peter Parker' staying at the inn, Liz's world world closed in around her. She stood there staring at the man blankly - she stood there for a while until Alec showed up and asked about Peter. Liz was pretty sure she shook her head, but she couldn't be sure. A few minutes later, Liz forced herself to move and find Ned.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on and Mary decided more baked goods would be better for today, again. It seemed like arrival day was turning into 'departure date' and that was troubling. Selfishly, of course, she made sure her boys were still here, including James, and even River. Once that was confirmed, she decided to take over most of Liz's duties today - she was going to be useless in her current state.

st_argateman

Jack had taken up jogging as one of the ways to pass the time. The interesting thing about where he was stuck was it seemed like jogging different paths and directions always gave something new for him to see. It was the early hours of the morning when he took off on a jog. The weather was nice and the coolness of the morning meant that he wouldn't overheat while running. About an hour into his jog, he slowed to a halt. There was a baby deer that appeared to be trapped in some leafless bush. Its leg was bleeding, presumably from trying to get out of its entanglement. He slowly approached the deer and crouched, beginning to try and free the baby animal.

~*~

Ned was a-buzz since Peter mentioned the news of him going all the way with Liz. He finally had a friend that had done it. Peter Parker was both Spider-Man and not a virgin - he was living his ultimate life. This was what preoccupied Ned's thoughts as he sat in the lobby trying to program part of the video game he and Peter were working on. He kept making way more mistakes than he normally would.

Finally he decided to stop and switch projects. His other project required less thought since it was almost done. After several key strokes later, he placed a small homemade helicopter on the coffee table. He pressed ENTER. The propeller on the helicopter started to spin and it flew up a foot in the air. Ned grinned, pleased.

~*~

Liz sat on one of the lounge chairs outside by the pool with her journal beside her and chemistry homework out on her lap. On top of her chemistry homework was her sketchbook. She couldn't quite concentrate today, either, though she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was what happened on the weekend with her and Peter or maybe it was the conversation she had with Mr. Stark. She decided that trying to draw, despite not having Piotr around, would be helpful. There were some flowers trying their hardest to bloom and she tried to draw them where she sat. Of course, she was still too critical on herself and she continuously erased her work and started over

~*~

Not too far away from Liz was Bo on a yoga mat. She was stretched out doing yoga int leggings and a work out bra and currently doing the triangle pose. She was stressed, but she didn't know why exactly. Maybe it wasn't stressed as frustrated, but she still couldn't pinpoint why. She moved to the downward dog, giving anyone who was paying attention a rather good view of her backside as she tried to stop her mind from wandering, but it was hard. She let out a little frustrated breath.

~*~

Alec was coming back from his own run. He still had energy to burn so he made a change in course and he headed toward the pool which seemed to be pretty busy, though no one was actually swimming. As he neared the pool he toed off his shoes and then pulled off his shirt, leaving a trail of his clothes as his pants where last and he dove into the deep end. He didn't come up right away either. He let the cool water hug his body. Finally, he pushed off the bottom of the pool and surfaced.

~*~

Mary wasn't outside. She was in the bakery trying some vegan recipes for brownies and cookies. It wasn't necessarily because she was vegan, but she thought that she should have some option for people who might be. So far there were two abandoned batches of brownies on the table - one wasn't sweet enough and one had used too much applesauce. She mixed the pumpkin mix into the new batch and poured it in, hoping the third time was the charm.

st_guyinthechair

Ned was pretty excited that he was going to be doing a project with Peter. It felt like old times. It seemed like it had been forever since they were tinkering with something they probably shouldn't be tinkering with. He was excited.

"So, I was thinking. If we can get this virtual reality rig to actually work, we could like, program different things to see and then, I don't know... maybe people like Xavin could like, show us what their world looks like?" He paused. "Or, you know, we could just play Golden Eye or Smash Brothers."

Of course, they were just in the infancy stage of such an idea. They still had to figure out how to actually accomplish any of it. While Ned's laptop was good, storing information enough for more than one game would be difficult. He'd probably definitely have to delete his season 1 of Game of Thrones for sure.

In front of them was a cellphone from Europe, some regular glasses, and a few other objects they were going to tinker with to see if they could make some sort of screen for Virtual Reality.

st_oriedqueen

Finished with self-imposed paperwork and emergency planning for the week, Regina permitted herself a leisurely ride on this absolutely gorgeous spring day. After a good gallop, Grace was content to walk, cropping at dried scrub and new shoots when Regina gave her rein. Regina steered the mare gently toward the west; she could teleport, of course, but she appreciated the quiet of riding toward the beach. She found, in the wake of Henry's Christmas visit, she more often craved the scent of the salt air and ocean breezes. Of course, the Pacific never quite smelled like the Atlantic, always warmer and less bracing somehow, but it soothed the wildness in her just the same.

Back at the Inn, Kitty busied herself with stocking the pool bar and generally setting up for the warmer seasons. The pool had been skimmed of winter detritus and chlorinated by the staff-spectre she rarely if ever saw, and there were fresh towels set out like a proper resort. Since the choice of music was hers, the air around the bar filled with dance beats, Afro-Caribbean today, and Kitty moved right into it. She didn't usually dance at work, but she felt bright today and maybe Lara would come down and work with her and they could goof around Cocktail style.

Sam passed through the Copper Cafe in search of a cup of coffee and a salad, or one of the two gorgeous women he'd somehow wound up involved with. His brow scrunched like a caterpillar hurrying away from a predator while he semi-consciously outpaced thoughts about babies and brothers, and possibly babies and girlfriends. His mild scowl wasn't helped by the pack of spirits trailing him and chatting at him about the lives of his family members. He'd asked them not to gossip about people he wasn't close with, but as a consequence, they talked rapidly and often about River's most recent oddness or his mother and Hathaway acting like...well, like him and Molly and Bo, and no thanks. Ditto on Dean and Jane. For all that he looked a little bothered, there wasn't anything menacing or aggressive about it. If anything, the slight tilt of his head as he strolled through the Inn looked thoughtful, as though he listened to something somewhat distant.

Lillith had come to a bit of a routine for arrival days, and around noon, she sat for tea with River Song. They spoke little, and it was difficult to tell whether the women even liked each other. But for all that, Lillith was content with the ritual. If Curnen sang, she would go out to the lawn next and listen. In fact, on such a sunny day, she would undoubtedly flop on the lawn with a sketchbook and a practice notebook, letting her mind float between image and spellcraft as it would. Out here, she would quickly veil herself at the approach of anyone new, but she often was distracted enough that they might catch her in her true form with her all unaware.

Around them, the Inn hummed and buzzed with the happy energy of winter giving way to spring. The most patient and subtle would undoubtedly note the undercurrents of tension, fear, frustration, and boredom that built up over time. But for day, at least so far as this four were aware, the worst of it had been suspended, in favor of enjoying warm sun and the company of friends.

[OOC: GP. It's a gorgeous day. Come and play! All four of mine can be available. Ping me if you're inspired to tag. <3 Welcome, Carol, Toby, and Number Five!]

st_guyinthechair

Peter and Ned had managed to, eventually, win a goldfish when the other world had opened up. Ned had been convinced that Illyana would be happy with a pet - she just needed someone or something to give her unconditional love. A puppy would have been better, of course, but you didn't usually win those at midway games. Of course, when Ned started to think about it... was winning a goldfish just as bad as it would be to win a puppy?

It was too late now.

It had been a few days since the boys left the fish on the desk for Ms. Rasputin with a note hoping she would enjoy. As much as going to the library scared the pants off of Ned, he decided to try and do some 'recon' to see if Illyana liked her new pet.

He really hoped she hadn't eaten it.

He took a deep breath out in the hall, then stepped into the library and looked around. He felt the natural 'flight' urge, but told himself WWSMD - What would Spider-Man Do? - and remained.

st_rongliketeflon

Her mother had always made pie making look so easy. Amy DeLuca's pie were the best in Roswell and a selling point in Liz's parents' cafe. Maria decided to try and make some of her mother's famous Keylime pie to stave off the homesickness she was starting to feel. So far her attempts were poor.

"Third time's the charm, right?" She said as she slide a pie slice over to Brad. He had volunteered to help her taste-test and hadn't died from her two previous attempts. "I promise I put less salt in this one."

Brad nodded and dug in. He chewed thoughtfully. He then smiled.

"This isn't half bad," He said. "It tastes like Keylime this time for sure."

Maria took a bite of her own and pumped her arm.

"Yes!" She said. "Not quite as good as my mom's, but it's edible."

"I'll take this one to go," He said, lifting the plate with a nod.

Maria nodded back and watched as Brad walked over to the table he had previously been occupying. There was a series of psychology books strewn about. They all seemed focused on depression or other behavioral illnesses.

Maria took another bite of hers and looked over her hand-written recipe as she tried to decide what to change to make it more like mom's.

st_guyinthechair

Ned had no idea why he thought this would be a good idea, but everyone looked so cool on the ice and it had looked like so much fun. Fun, however, was not the word he would choose at this current moment as he skated forward and had no way of stopping. The first sign this was a bad idea should have been the wobbling when he first got on the ice. The second one should have been his need to cling to the sideboards.

As he flew forward on the ice, hands out like a scarecrow to try and stay upright, he regretted pushing off the sideboard so hard. He had never actually gone skating before and the lineups at Rockafeller Center were always too long to wait.

"Look out!"

st_guyinthechair

Hey...

So there's this place that opened up?

Like, another world or whatever.

It's a theme park

It seems really cool.

I was thinking of going. You know, to have fun and stuff?

And I was thinking it'd be more fun if I had someone to go with me

And then I thought of you and thought you might like to have fun too?

I mean, with me. I know you like to have fun. Everyone likes to have fun. ~~Please shoot me now~~

Anyways... do you want to go? Together?

Or not together. That'd be okay too.

st_guyinthechair

When the previously empty hotel room opened up to an Otherworld - Ned's first ever Otherworld EVER - he was beyond excited. He didn't want to go in without Peter on his first go into the other world so he quickly made his way to find his best friend. Peter gave him a rundown on the Do's and Don't's and then they did a preliminary look around before agreeing they needed to regroup back at the inn for a game plan like when they first went to Cony Island.

This was going to be an exciting.

st_guyinthechair

Ned was almost done making his life-size Jenga. With Thors help, he got his hands on some wood and he had managed to make the same shaped pieces of wood, too. It was a lot harder without power tools, but he did it. He sort of wished he could show his shop teacher - it sort of made him feel like an old timey pioneer using a hand saw.

Some of the wood was stacked already for the Jenga game while other pieces were on the floor in a pile. The ones of the floor still needed to be sanded and that's what Ned was doing as he sat on the couch in the lobby - he was sanding. Sanding, and trying not to think about how some people still seemed pretty upset about what happened around Christmas.

st_raighttovampire

If a thing done more than once could be said to be a tradition, then tradition was observed. The restaurant was set for a party, overflowing with whatever the cooks and bakers of the inn had chosen to create. The bar was stocked from the wine cellar. The bartenders had created a couple of special New Year's cocktails for the occasion in addition to the usual champagne: Blue "Drunk Jack Frosties", frothy pink "Mistletoe Margaritas" and warm boozy hot cocoa.

Caroline had tried to convince each of the guests she knew had musical talent to perform, at least a song or two, but had a playlist ready in case they didn't. For those without their own instruments, the karaoke machine was set up in the lobby, conveniently near the bar so one could find courage as needed first.

Between Christmas and today, the decorations had been changed out - the tree was still there of course, and the mistletoe. But now golds and silvers dominated the colors of the streamers. Sparkling snowflakes dangled and sprays of gold stars. A banner hung over Darryl's head, wishing any who glanced his way a Happy New Year! There was even a disco ball, dug out from some storage closest, turning slowly and sending little shards of light dancing over the pink rose carpet.

Even from the outside, the inn radiated good cheer and hope for the future, as if by sheer will, they could all make it so.

st_ratagem

Thor and Loki got an early start, because there was a lot to do. Almost two weeks to the day since their first small-but-successful experiment with snow, Loki was confident that he'd improved enough for a bigger experiment. Still snow, because Thor wanted it and it did seem like a decent way to try something big-ish without causing Loki unnecessary grief with the other residents. (It was an arrival day, so there would perhaps be some grief with any new arrivals, but that was entirely acceptable.)

It was before dawn when they went out into the grounds. Thor called up clouds and loaded them with water so they hung low and heavy, covering the sky so that the sun, when it rose, wouldn't ruin the event. Loki took his frost giant shape and staff (now very familiar to his hand) and concentrated on dropping the temperature. Just around the Inn and grounds, but that was enough to be serious effort.

When the snow first started, the flakes were big and wet, and melted as soon as they hit the ground, which was still on the warm side. As they melted, they cooled the ground. After an hour or so, the flakes were smaller and more powdery - real snow, not glorified slush - and they were starting to stick to the ground.

By mid-morning, the Inn and grounds were covered with a thick layer of snow, and it continued to fall.

***

Meanwhile, indoors and inspired by the snow, Hurley and Xavin decided to try and make cookies. Cooking together was fun, since neither of them exactly knew what they were doing apart from 'follow the recipe', but since the point was 'try to make cookies' they ended up with a lot of cookies. Sugar cookies, gingerbread, all kinds.

There was no way they'd be able to eat all of them.

Instead, they loaded them onto trays and hauled them to the cafe, then brought out various frostings and candies for decorating. This had been completely intentional. Completely.

st_guyinthechair

There was no cell service here at the Madonna Inn. There was no wifi. There was internet, but it was dial-up and Ned's laptop didn't even have an Ethernet port to plug the sluggish internet connection into his own device

The horror.

So Ned needed a solution - he was going to take one of the Ethernet cords and one of his USB cables and see if he couldn't make some sort of usable cable this way.

He was currently in the lobby. His laptop was on a coffee table, closed, and on his lap was a big blue Ethernet cable and a black USB cable. He currently had pliers in his hand, but there were other tools on the ground in front of him.

Ned was on a mission.

st_argateman

Jack had a lot of confidence in his team back home. Despite not seeing a sign or a way out since his own arrival, Jack held out hope that maybe one of the arrival days would see the rest of SG-1 at the inn. He knew that was selfish, of course, and it was only a small part of him that wished his friends to be stuck in such a place with him. Another part of him felt certain if Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c we're here, they could find a way home quicker.

For now, Jack decided to hang out in the lobby to keep an eye on the door. It looked as if Mary had an array of cookies and muffins out as usual and he was pretty sure he saw Caroline flitting around with a welcome basket. Kitty was behind the bar ready to help anyone who was having a hard time coping.

At least if people showed up today, it would look welcoming.

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Strange Trip

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave

Entries tagged with ned leeds

[GP/EP] Check-In Day: Pastabilities

August 16 - I ate a lot of pie (closed to Peter)

[GP] A New Month

Spring Time (Multiup OTA)

So about Thanos... - Tag Peter

Check-In Day: Around the Inn

Illyana's new pet - Tag Yana

[EP] Pies (OTA)

Skating Disaster - OTA (Backdated to Feb 12)

Journal to Moana

Theme Park OtherWorld

Jenga - OTA

NYE

[GP] SNOW DAY

No WiFi - OTA

GP: Check In at the Inn

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December 2019

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