Chapter 4 - Makes no difference to me.
Inspired by Sun 41's (yes, I know..) Makes no diference. Okay, not much Edward in this chapter, but this relates to a further point in the plot later. Also, you make notice the name of one of the characters relates directly to the film in two ways. It's because I'm not inventive enough to come up with anything interesting.
The Metaphysicist's (or Ysabelle and Homer) are an original creation. More info about them can be found under my pen name at fictionpress.net, but don't worry. All you need to know is in this chapter. More will be explained as it goes on. This chapter DOES have reference to all the others; it's just a good way to introduce them, okay?
Also, this chapter makes reference to Randle and Hopkirk deceased (the new version), Spaced series two, D101, Red Dwarf and of course, my own story My Liberty Dearer (but you don't need to read. You find out all you need to know as it goes on.) There are probably more references apart from ES that I haven't mentioned, but feel free to try and guess each reference.
Note - SLIGHT CUSSING AND SUGGESTED VIOLENCE
If you think I should bring a more dream like quality to my work, please say. Thank you.
**********
Even later, if you travelled across the continent of America, across the Atlantic Ocean to a small Island near Europe and then down to the east to a small but packed City called London, and then to a place called Central London, you'd find that the city of a thousands musicals, museums and clubs and seems to live on caffeine very quiet. A few people stumble out of a bar as the bouncers push them out, a few dodgy mini cabs crawl around in the dark and a few homeless people sleep in shop doorways, but apart from them, there are no living souls out.
Except two.
At this precise moment, if you looked over at the titled roof of the Sputter Street Theatre you would see two figures, dressed in black. If you went in closer you would see that they were both climbing up to the roof. If then, you cared to listen in to what they were saying, you would hear a voice cursing under its breath and the second figure hissing, 'shut up!'
The second, smaller figure said, 'This goddamn roof is dangerous!' The figures foot aliped, and it fell onto the roof with a loud 'offfh!'
'Careful Ys, you don't want to fall off the roof' said the figure.
'Of course I don't!' said the smaller figure in a remarkably high-pitched voice, ' It's bloody forty foot from the ground!'
'Oi, less cursing from you!' exclaimed the other figure. Then sighing he said, 'Young people these days...'
'Homer, this isn't like I don't have a reason to swear!' complained the smaller figure called Ysabelle.
'We can talk this over when we're at the top.' The figure called Homer replied, 'but at the moment you probably should concentrate on finding a hand hold.'
The figure called Ysabelle resisted the urge to scream as she slipped again, and finally grabbed onto the ridge. She pulled herself up and sat on it as she waited for Homer to catch up. Homer soon grabbed onto the ridge, jumped up and balanced himself perilously on it. Then he pulled off the black balaclava and wiped his face with the sleeve of his outfit. Homer was a middle-aged man, in the broadest sense of the phrase, with his brown hair flicked with grey streaks. His glassy brown green eyes were deep like the greater depths of the sea and his face was tanned slightly. His face was focused and serious, looking almost sculpted with the lines of age. It was the kind of face that looked like the owner should have been smoking some sort of tobacco product. At this moment he reached into his pocket and brought out a piece of gum.
'I thought you smoked those horrible black cigars.' Said Ysabelle.
'Not any more,' said Homer with a sigh,' The Doctor told me not to. He said he wasn't prepared to replace my lungs again.'
Ysabelle looked away, but took off her own Balaclava. She shook out her tightly platted gold brown hair, tied with black ribbons. She was thin. Thin in a way that was less thin, than skeletal. She had long arms and a long, white neck. She had freckles that blemished the white skin that was almost as pale as Edward's. Her lips were light pink with a healthy glow, but her face was virgin of make up. She did have bags under her eyes, which suggested that she had been subjected to a few late nights. She rolled up her sleeves to reveal bulky bandages wrapped around her arms.
Ysabelle smiled and said, 'So, recap - what the hell are we doing?'
'We've been sent to meet our contact.'
'Anything else?' she asked.
'No, just to meet him.'
'So why are we on this roof?' she asked.
'So we can get a good view of the city.'
'So what's the contact called?'
'Price. Johnny Price.'
'And we are meeting him for...'
'Ysabelle!' snapped Homer, 'Do you ever listen?'
'Yes!' she replied, 'Just not to a word that any of THEM says. So we're meeting him to..'
'We're meeting him to get information about building androids!' exclaimed Homer, 'Look, we went over this..'
'I know, I know....' she said,' But I still don't get it. I mean are we just getting info about how to build an independent brain, or is it about all the new organs we're going to need?'
'Both.' Said Homer.
They sat quiet for a moment, watching the lethargic city. Ysabelle looked over the city for a moment pensively and asked, 'I suppose they sent him AIDA.'
'About a month ago.' Said Homer. He reached up to his mouth as if to put a cigar in, but stop as he realised he didn't have a cigar in his hand.
They sat quietly, not talking to one another. Ysabelle pretended not to notice Homer forgetting about not having any cigars, and stared across the big city. She had given up everything to leave this dirty city, but from up here, it looked good. The lights shone like bright stars and the sound of the city cooling down was hypnotic. All Ysabelle could here was the sound of a group of young people walked thought an ally way. They kept quiet until they saw a young woman walk past. They saw one of the young people go up to her and ask her for a cigarette. She refused, and then one of them brought out a knife.
Ysabelle sat up and murmured, 'what the...' As the group of young people pushed the woman against a wall and started to shouted, she said,' Homer, look!'
Homer looked and said, 'I know.' She looked him in the eye and he suddenly said, 'No. Just no. We're not going down..'
Ysabelle tied the rope slung to her back to the ridge, and clipped herself to it. Before Homer could do anything, she grabbed onto the rope, and looking Homer right in the face whispered, 'I have to do something.' started to skid down the tiles, which came lose and feel down to the ground. 'YSABELLE!' he shouted, shocked and scared, but she didn't listen to him. Sighing, he tied his rope to the ridge and started to climb down.
Ysabelle ab-sailed down the wall so fast that the wind blew her plated hair up. As she sailed down, a falling tile almost knocked one of the gang out. The looked up and saw black hangover heading towards them. As she reached the ground, the astonished gang looked at her. She unclipped herself and said, 'Go away! Leave her alone or I'll phone the police.'
The gang looked at her before they started to laugh. Then the leader stepped up to her, but this was not impressive as he was about an inch shorter than her. 'And what're going to do little girl?' he asked.
'I'm not little!' she exclaimed, 'I'm nearly fourteen! And taller than you.'
The gang burst out into another gale of laughter. The leader, smiling, took out his flick knife and said, 'I don't care how old you are little girl, but you're dead.'
He started to advance on her. She grinned inanely and said, 'look buddy, I'm already dead, been there, done that, bought the tee shirt, but you probably don't wanna try to kill me...'
'Why not?' he asked.
'This is such a cliché, ' she giggled nervously, 'but look behind you.' The man did so, and was hit in the face by Homers speedily advancing boot. Homer unclipped himself and looked at the gang. They dropped the girl they were about to mug, and stared at them.
'Ysabelle, I think we should......'
'They're only about fourteen!' said Ysabelle, reaching to her belt.
'But look at them!' said Homer, his voice going up in pitch.
'They're my age!' hollered Ysabelle. Then as she looked at them again she turned to him and said, 'what do you think we should do?'
Homer looked down at her hands. She looked him in the face, and began to reach for her belt again. 'Lets give it to them Ys.' He said, reaching into his coat. They both stared right into the gangs face before Homer's face of determination changed and he grabbed Ysabelle's wrist.
'Change of plan!' he whispered. He breathed in and hollered 'LEEGGGGG IIIIITTTTTTTTT!'
The two of them turned on their heels and ran down alleyways and streets as the gang started to pursue them. Homer guided Ysabelle through the streets and to her surprise knew where he was going.
'Where are we going?' Ysabelle yelled.
'To meet our contact!' replied Homer.
'I thought.....'
'You thought wrong!' Homer bellowed.
'You could've just bought a street map!' Ysabelle replied, 'Like anyone else!'
Homer looked over his shoulder and said, 'less talk, more running!' They ran down a dank ally full of puddles and old bins full of the indigestible remains of curry from the local Indian restaurants. Their footsteps echoed around the side street as they splashed through puddles. Homer pushed over a bin to slow down their pursuers and disappeared as they ran into the street.
As the gang reached the end, they looked puzzled. How could two people go into a street, but not come out? They milled around a bit before Homer and Ysabelle crept from behind a wall to the end of the street. Then one of the gang saw them.
'That way!' he yelled as they chased them.
Homer and Ysabelle were panicking as they saw a man waiting next to a car outside a closed down Chinese restaurant. Homer's eyes widened and shouted 'start the car!'
'What?' asked the man.
'Don't ask questions!' shrieked Ysabelle, 'Just start the car!'
The man looked at them, and got in. Homer and Ysabelle tore down the road and when they reached the car they grabbed the doors slamming them shut. The man was about to turn around as he said, 'you with the metaphysicists....'
'YES!' screamed Ysabelle, 'START THE CAR!' The man slammed his foot on the accelerator and skidded off down the road, leaving the street gang behind. Ysabelle and Homer sat in the car for a minuet, breathing heavily before Ysabelle finally said, 'Please, please, please say your name is Johnny Price.'
'Yeah.' He replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
'Thank you god!' she said, raising her arms before collapsing again.
'So, you guys were my contacts...' said Johnny, 'what the hell were you doing?'
'Being chased by a street gang apparently.' Said Homer, 'Ysabelle managed to get us involved in a fight.'
'They were about to mug some woman' she gasped, ' You couldn't just let that happen!'
'Yes we could!' exclaimed Homer, 'we were nearly killed!'
'Look, you can tell me when we get home,' said Johnny, 'but first of all, are you from the Metaphysicists?'
'Yeah' sighed Ysabelle,' the best they could spare at the time.' Then leaning over to Homer she said, 'how on earth did you know he was our contact?'
'He wore a big hat covering his eyes and a trench coat, obvious.' Said Homer sighing, 'Looked like a typical contact. Anyone could spot him a mile off.'
Johnny smiled as he stopped at a traffic light. 'I thought I looked kinda dashing.'
'No, you just looked like a stereotype. There's a difference.' Said Homer.
Johnny took of his hat, putting it on the passenger seat, and turning around to them said, 'Maybe I should've just worn my normal clothes.' he said, as he turned into a drive of a tall, old looking black townhouse. He got out of the car. Ysabelle and Homer waited as he opened the car door.
'C'mon,' he said, 'we're home. We can have some hot coco and cookies.' Johnny Price brushed his long, combed back, black hair out of his deep brown eyes with his slim hands.....
*****
'EDWARD!!!?????'
Jane sat bolt upright in bed as she tried to recover from the dream. Now, that one was weird. A street gang was chasing her in London and Edward was driving a car. But as she breathed out, she realised it was Edward, but wasn't. For one thing, he had hands, but there was more different. His black hair looked kempt and clean, his face unscarred and his clothes were very, very different. It wasn't the black metal, but he looked....well....more human.
Jane looked at the clock next to her bed, and realised that she had to get up now. She thought about what Edward had said. His father was probably going to come back today. She smiled to herself, and felt better for the thought that when she saw him again, that there would be someone else to look after him. Someone to care for him. Jane smiled. She couldn't wait to seem him again. She wouldn't be able to concentrate at all today, and she had physics as well! She needed to be able to understand physics so she didn't flunk school, but every second before she saw him again would burn like a slow fire in her head.
She wondered whether she should tell him about the dream, but through against it. It probably meant nothing, and it would just confuse him. She said aloud 'Edward, you know how to get a girl hooked.'
**********
If you watch the movie close enough, you'll see that Edwards hair in the flashback looked like he combed it, but in the others it didn't. Think of Edward before the Inventor died for Johnny Price, and with slightly more tanned skin. Johnny Price will get more and more important as the story goes on. You can probably guess why.
Thanks for reading. Please review!
Inspired by Sun 41's (yes, I know..) Makes no diference. Okay, not much Edward in this chapter, but this relates to a further point in the plot later. Also, you make notice the name of one of the characters relates directly to the film in two ways. It's because I'm not inventive enough to come up with anything interesting.
The Metaphysicist's (or Ysabelle and Homer) are an original creation. More info about them can be found under my pen name at fictionpress.net, but don't worry. All you need to know is in this chapter. More will be explained as it goes on. This chapter DOES have reference to all the others; it's just a good way to introduce them, okay?
Also, this chapter makes reference to Randle and Hopkirk deceased (the new version), Spaced series two, D101, Red Dwarf and of course, my own story My Liberty Dearer (but you don't need to read. You find out all you need to know as it goes on.) There are probably more references apart from ES that I haven't mentioned, but feel free to try and guess each reference.
Note - SLIGHT CUSSING AND SUGGESTED VIOLENCE
If you think I should bring a more dream like quality to my work, please say. Thank you.
**********
Even later, if you travelled across the continent of America, across the Atlantic Ocean to a small Island near Europe and then down to the east to a small but packed City called London, and then to a place called Central London, you'd find that the city of a thousands musicals, museums and clubs and seems to live on caffeine very quiet. A few people stumble out of a bar as the bouncers push them out, a few dodgy mini cabs crawl around in the dark and a few homeless people sleep in shop doorways, but apart from them, there are no living souls out.
Except two.
At this precise moment, if you looked over at the titled roof of the Sputter Street Theatre you would see two figures, dressed in black. If you went in closer you would see that they were both climbing up to the roof. If then, you cared to listen in to what they were saying, you would hear a voice cursing under its breath and the second figure hissing, 'shut up!'
The second, smaller figure said, 'This goddamn roof is dangerous!' The figures foot aliped, and it fell onto the roof with a loud 'offfh!'
'Careful Ys, you don't want to fall off the roof' said the figure.
'Of course I don't!' said the smaller figure in a remarkably high-pitched voice, ' It's bloody forty foot from the ground!'
'Oi, less cursing from you!' exclaimed the other figure. Then sighing he said, 'Young people these days...'
'Homer, this isn't like I don't have a reason to swear!' complained the smaller figure called Ysabelle.
'We can talk this over when we're at the top.' The figure called Homer replied, 'but at the moment you probably should concentrate on finding a hand hold.'
The figure called Ysabelle resisted the urge to scream as she slipped again, and finally grabbed onto the ridge. She pulled herself up and sat on it as she waited for Homer to catch up. Homer soon grabbed onto the ridge, jumped up and balanced himself perilously on it. Then he pulled off the black balaclava and wiped his face with the sleeve of his outfit. Homer was a middle-aged man, in the broadest sense of the phrase, with his brown hair flicked with grey streaks. His glassy brown green eyes were deep like the greater depths of the sea and his face was tanned slightly. His face was focused and serious, looking almost sculpted with the lines of age. It was the kind of face that looked like the owner should have been smoking some sort of tobacco product. At this moment he reached into his pocket and brought out a piece of gum.
'I thought you smoked those horrible black cigars.' Said Ysabelle.
'Not any more,' said Homer with a sigh,' The Doctor told me not to. He said he wasn't prepared to replace my lungs again.'
Ysabelle looked away, but took off her own Balaclava. She shook out her tightly platted gold brown hair, tied with black ribbons. She was thin. Thin in a way that was less thin, than skeletal. She had long arms and a long, white neck. She had freckles that blemished the white skin that was almost as pale as Edward's. Her lips were light pink with a healthy glow, but her face was virgin of make up. She did have bags under her eyes, which suggested that she had been subjected to a few late nights. She rolled up her sleeves to reveal bulky bandages wrapped around her arms.
Ysabelle smiled and said, 'So, recap - what the hell are we doing?'
'We've been sent to meet our contact.'
'Anything else?' she asked.
'No, just to meet him.'
'So why are we on this roof?' she asked.
'So we can get a good view of the city.'
'So what's the contact called?'
'Price. Johnny Price.'
'And we are meeting him for...'
'Ysabelle!' snapped Homer, 'Do you ever listen?'
'Yes!' she replied, 'Just not to a word that any of THEM says. So we're meeting him to..'
'We're meeting him to get information about building androids!' exclaimed Homer, 'Look, we went over this..'
'I know, I know....' she said,' But I still don't get it. I mean are we just getting info about how to build an independent brain, or is it about all the new organs we're going to need?'
'Both.' Said Homer.
They sat quiet for a moment, watching the lethargic city. Ysabelle looked over the city for a moment pensively and asked, 'I suppose they sent him AIDA.'
'About a month ago.' Said Homer. He reached up to his mouth as if to put a cigar in, but stop as he realised he didn't have a cigar in his hand.
They sat quietly, not talking to one another. Ysabelle pretended not to notice Homer forgetting about not having any cigars, and stared across the big city. She had given up everything to leave this dirty city, but from up here, it looked good. The lights shone like bright stars and the sound of the city cooling down was hypnotic. All Ysabelle could here was the sound of a group of young people walked thought an ally way. They kept quiet until they saw a young woman walk past. They saw one of the young people go up to her and ask her for a cigarette. She refused, and then one of them brought out a knife.
Ysabelle sat up and murmured, 'what the...' As the group of young people pushed the woman against a wall and started to shouted, she said,' Homer, look!'
Homer looked and said, 'I know.' She looked him in the eye and he suddenly said, 'No. Just no. We're not going down..'
Ysabelle tied the rope slung to her back to the ridge, and clipped herself to it. Before Homer could do anything, she grabbed onto the rope, and looking Homer right in the face whispered, 'I have to do something.' started to skid down the tiles, which came lose and feel down to the ground. 'YSABELLE!' he shouted, shocked and scared, but she didn't listen to him. Sighing, he tied his rope to the ridge and started to climb down.
Ysabelle ab-sailed down the wall so fast that the wind blew her plated hair up. As she sailed down, a falling tile almost knocked one of the gang out. The looked up and saw black hangover heading towards them. As she reached the ground, the astonished gang looked at her. She unclipped herself and said, 'Go away! Leave her alone or I'll phone the police.'
The gang looked at her before they started to laugh. Then the leader stepped up to her, but this was not impressive as he was about an inch shorter than her. 'And what're going to do little girl?' he asked.
'I'm not little!' she exclaimed, 'I'm nearly fourteen! And taller than you.'
The gang burst out into another gale of laughter. The leader, smiling, took out his flick knife and said, 'I don't care how old you are little girl, but you're dead.'
He started to advance on her. She grinned inanely and said, 'look buddy, I'm already dead, been there, done that, bought the tee shirt, but you probably don't wanna try to kill me...'
'Why not?' he asked.
'This is such a cliché, ' she giggled nervously, 'but look behind you.' The man did so, and was hit in the face by Homers speedily advancing boot. Homer unclipped himself and looked at the gang. They dropped the girl they were about to mug, and stared at them.
'Ysabelle, I think we should......'
'They're only about fourteen!' said Ysabelle, reaching to her belt.
'But look at them!' said Homer, his voice going up in pitch.
'They're my age!' hollered Ysabelle. Then as she looked at them again she turned to him and said, 'what do you think we should do?'
Homer looked down at her hands. She looked him in the face, and began to reach for her belt again. 'Lets give it to them Ys.' He said, reaching into his coat. They both stared right into the gangs face before Homer's face of determination changed and he grabbed Ysabelle's wrist.
'Change of plan!' he whispered. He breathed in and hollered 'LEEGGGGG IIIIITTTTTTTTT!'
The two of them turned on their heels and ran down alleyways and streets as the gang started to pursue them. Homer guided Ysabelle through the streets and to her surprise knew where he was going.
'Where are we going?' Ysabelle yelled.
'To meet our contact!' replied Homer.
'I thought.....'
'You thought wrong!' Homer bellowed.
'You could've just bought a street map!' Ysabelle replied, 'Like anyone else!'
Homer looked over his shoulder and said, 'less talk, more running!' They ran down a dank ally full of puddles and old bins full of the indigestible remains of curry from the local Indian restaurants. Their footsteps echoed around the side street as they splashed through puddles. Homer pushed over a bin to slow down their pursuers and disappeared as they ran into the street.
As the gang reached the end, they looked puzzled. How could two people go into a street, but not come out? They milled around a bit before Homer and Ysabelle crept from behind a wall to the end of the street. Then one of the gang saw them.
'That way!' he yelled as they chased them.
Homer and Ysabelle were panicking as they saw a man waiting next to a car outside a closed down Chinese restaurant. Homer's eyes widened and shouted 'start the car!'
'What?' asked the man.
'Don't ask questions!' shrieked Ysabelle, 'Just start the car!'
The man looked at them, and got in. Homer and Ysabelle tore down the road and when they reached the car they grabbed the doors slamming them shut. The man was about to turn around as he said, 'you with the metaphysicists....'
'YES!' screamed Ysabelle, 'START THE CAR!' The man slammed his foot on the accelerator and skidded off down the road, leaving the street gang behind. Ysabelle and Homer sat in the car for a minuet, breathing heavily before Ysabelle finally said, 'Please, please, please say your name is Johnny Price.'
'Yeah.' He replied, keeping his eyes on the road.
'Thank you god!' she said, raising her arms before collapsing again.
'So, you guys were my contacts...' said Johnny, 'what the hell were you doing?'
'Being chased by a street gang apparently.' Said Homer, 'Ysabelle managed to get us involved in a fight.'
'They were about to mug some woman' she gasped, ' You couldn't just let that happen!'
'Yes we could!' exclaimed Homer, 'we were nearly killed!'
'Look, you can tell me when we get home,' said Johnny, 'but first of all, are you from the Metaphysicists?'
'Yeah' sighed Ysabelle,' the best they could spare at the time.' Then leaning over to Homer she said, 'how on earth did you know he was our contact?'
'He wore a big hat covering his eyes and a trench coat, obvious.' Said Homer sighing, 'Looked like a typical contact. Anyone could spot him a mile off.'
Johnny smiled as he stopped at a traffic light. 'I thought I looked kinda dashing.'
'No, you just looked like a stereotype. There's a difference.' Said Homer.
Johnny took of his hat, putting it on the passenger seat, and turning around to them said, 'Maybe I should've just worn my normal clothes.' he said, as he turned into a drive of a tall, old looking black townhouse. He got out of the car. Ysabelle and Homer waited as he opened the car door.
'C'mon,' he said, 'we're home. We can have some hot coco and cookies.' Johnny Price brushed his long, combed back, black hair out of his deep brown eyes with his slim hands.....
*****
'EDWARD!!!?????'
Jane sat bolt upright in bed as she tried to recover from the dream. Now, that one was weird. A street gang was chasing her in London and Edward was driving a car. But as she breathed out, she realised it was Edward, but wasn't. For one thing, he had hands, but there was more different. His black hair looked kempt and clean, his face unscarred and his clothes were very, very different. It wasn't the black metal, but he looked....well....more human.
Jane looked at the clock next to her bed, and realised that she had to get up now. She thought about what Edward had said. His father was probably going to come back today. She smiled to herself, and felt better for the thought that when she saw him again, that there would be someone else to look after him. Someone to care for him. Jane smiled. She couldn't wait to seem him again. She wouldn't be able to concentrate at all today, and she had physics as well! She needed to be able to understand physics so she didn't flunk school, but every second before she saw him again would burn like a slow fire in her head.
She wondered whether she should tell him about the dream, but through against it. It probably meant nothing, and it would just confuse him. She said aloud 'Edward, you know how to get a girl hooked.'
**********
If you watch the movie close enough, you'll see that Edwards hair in the flashback looked like he combed it, but in the others it didn't. Think of Edward before the Inventor died for Johnny Price, and with slightly more tanned skin. Johnny Price will get more and more important as the story goes on. You can probably guess why.
Thanks for reading. Please review!