001 - Voice

[makethman]

[After Harry settles as best as he can into the housing he's been provided, he spends a long amount of time observing the Network before using it himself. Earlier, he got a lay of the land, now he needs to take stock of the community. It's as diverse and overly candid as any social media from home, though with more encryption possibilities that he takes careful note of.

It's time to put a cover in place, just like any other day, and Harry decides his domestic one will be best: The closest to his true self without anything compromising, though he's felt as compromised as a man can get since his arrival. His voice is polite and measured when he finally starts recording.]

Pardon me if a voice post is a bit forward for a new arrival. This sort of technology has never been my strong suit. My name is Harry Hart. I can't claim to really understand what's going on, despite all the supplemental material that's been provided-- [There's the faintest huff of exasperation, which is entirely genuine. Few things annoy him more than red tape, and he has no intention of keeping that secret.]

Regardless, I'll be happy to offer my services to the community at large. Unfortunately, that only comes in the form of tailoring. I don't have all of my equipment from back home, obviously, but I can manage basic alterations, simple patch ups. Hopefully I can work with the government on setting up shop more extensively, but you're welcome to contact me regarding any of your sartorial needs.

I can't say the military will find much use for this either, though they do make quick work of asking for unflinching loyalty, don't they?

[He ends the transmission on that little note of skepticism, casting out hooks for any answers he can get.]

Comments

[inmyothertights]

A tailor?

How do you feel about working with fabric that glows and changes patterns?

[voice]

[makethman]

[That... is not the first request he expected, but maybe he should have, all things considered.]

My experience lies more in the realm of functional suits, rather than what others might consider costume.

voice

[aggressiveapathy]

Wait. No stuff. No shop. Quit your first job already?

[permavoice]

[makethman]

Not quite. I have yet to decide whether or not to accept it. I'm not from this country in any dimension, after all.

permavideo

[shoubai]

A well-tailored suit is to a businessman what a suit of armour is to a knight. You'll get your business no doubt.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[There's a bit of a chuckle on the other end. No helmets to help, though, were there?]

Well said. Though I may have to run it privately for the time being.

Voice

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel's voice is young, polite... and carries what she'd call an Ancelstierrean accent, though anyone from this world would consider it upper class English.]

Well, that's a useful service at the least. And if you need a more detailed explanation of what's been going on, I'd be happy to oblige, Mr. Hart.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[Harry's been listening to a southern twang for far longer than he intended when his last assignment started, so the voice is a bit of a welcome return to normalcy, even if it is grasping at straws for one.]

Oh, they've given me plenty of details, just managed to keep them away from anything resembling layman's terms. You wouldn't happen to know why a world that seems to still be in the Cold War is relying on non-citizens for political assistance, would you, Mr...?

voice

[hubris]

Define equipment. Easily bought on a government stipend, isn't most of it?

[permavoice]

[makethman]

A proper tailor's shop needs the finest sewing equipment, in addition to all sorts of fabrics and accessories. The latter two are where the expense really starts to exhibit itself, and I doubt luxuries fall under tax free labels.

voice;

[whathawksdo]

They do, don't they? So nice of them to attach all their kind help to something supposedly so innocent.

[ Another voice that falls into the range of vaguely English, though not quite, not entirely. ]

On the bright side, everyone needs a good tailor sometimes. Can't really say the same for military.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

Oh? Is it really only supposed? What they offered me seems harmless enough.

[He sounds like he could be easily dissuaded from that thought, though.]

True enough. They need a tailor once every twenty years or so.

permavoice.

[sizetwelve]

[ Pip pip, it's another brit! ]

It's a bit of a learning curve but sticking with what you already know ought to give a leg up, with help from other imPorts. Not like we shouldn't all dress well while mucking about this war.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[CHEERIO MATE no if he hears that one more time he might strangle someone with his tie tho]

Is this the war on crime or something else they've neglected to tell me? I heard the damage around town was from terrorists.

video

[viced]

What kind of tailoring do you usually do? [ Oh no.

Be still his beating heart.

He's been losing weight and his suits don't fit. ]

[permavoice]

[makethman]

I specialize in bespoke suits, though it seems I'll need to branch out a bit here. Though if you're looking for work to be done, perhaps I can put off the studies a bit.

Voice

[cephalothorax]

You're a tailor?

Ahhh, do you make clothing from scratch or are you mostly in repairs and adjustments?

[Because boy oh boy does he have a job for you.]

Permavoice

[makethman]

I'm a bit forced into the latter at the moment without my usual bag of tricks. What do you have in mind, sir?

voice

[ferrisbuellean]

[Internal screaming.]

Holy crap, a tailor? Marry me.

Permavoice

[makethman]

I'm flattered, but I try not to rush into such commitment.

voice

[thephix]

Oh, thank heavens.

[Max's accent is carefully crafted Upper Class New Yorker, her voice warm and just a little amused.]

I do so miss my seamstress.

[her life is so hard and no one understands.]

Permavoice

[makethman]

Unfortunately my skills in womenswear aren't as polished, but I can still offer you the basics, as you need them.

[acclimatized]

I see the tailor thing is going down really well.

[ personally, john is just relieved to hear from a fellow brit again. ]

[makethman]

Considering the rather depressing and endless sea of screen tees and ill fitting golf shirts I've been mired in since my arrival, I think it's going rather well.

video;

[chiroptophobic]

If it's investment you're looking for--it might be better to look for the kind that comes without strings attached. And well-- [ He brushes his own lapels. ] I can appreciate a fine suit.

I don't suppose you have any examples of your work with you?

Permavoice

[makethman]

Strings are sadly quite essential to my business, sir. [It's rare that he can't name a suit's designer on sight, but he'll probably need to get used to that.] Yours seem to be local?

Not at the moment. The Porter wasn't so kind as to carry in my shop along with me.

[ voice ]

[animated]

So what sort of job did they give you?

Because I'm starting to feel like there should be a club for people who are perfectly happy with their chosen profession in their own world and end up with something completely different when they get here.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

Apparently my possession of an accent warrants me being a dialect coach. Though I've heard a few impersonations since I settled in, and I'm starting to think it may be a necessary service.

voice.

[herrin]

Welcome. You are jumping in quickly, aren't you?

( someone else from the uk, bless. the voice on the device sounds amused, at the very least. )

I don't suppose you happen to have experience tailoring women's clothes?

( she sees what you did there. and she'll purposefully ignore your digs, for now. )

[makethman]

Fortune favors the bold, or so the old saying goes.

I can render women the basics, but in the vein of boldness, I may start experimenting with pantsuits, if the interest is high.

[He is incredibly convincing at making that sound like the boldest thing he's ever done.]

voice;

[fistofthejoestar]

[it's the goddamn British Invasion all over again in this post. Jonathan's accent may seem a bit dated in an undefinable way, even beneath the impeccable formality. he is from the Victorian period, after all.]

I suppose you've already been inundated with business requests, but if it's not too much trouble I'd appreciate knowing whenever you're able to do custom work.

[there's a little old native Greek tailor that he's been getting his things done at currently, but he feels really bad piling the more difficult stuff up on the guy.]

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[The accent calls out to Harry from the past and his grandparents' parlour room, so it's a bit strange to hear it now. The manners, on the other hand, are refreshing.]

It would be my pleasure, sir, once the appropriate materials become available.

[Like the football field worth of fabric for the giant man BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT YET]

voice

[stealwithit]

[ As long as we're all talking about accents, Kasumi's is mostly American with a tinge of Japanese. ]

What's your experience in mending spandex and capes? Because there are a lot of superheroes around here.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

Little to none, I'm afraid. I'm surprised the government doesn't supply them, honestly.

voice

[sunasuna]

Would you be able to do more custom work if someone was able to get you the materials you needed? [Because here's another huge man who could use some good clothes.]

[makethman]

It's entirely possible. The Porter favors the Big and Tall, it seems.

voice

[cleptes]

According to a woman I spoke to a few days ago, she said that we were all brought here for a reason and that we are all special regardless of our backgrounds.

[She wonders if Raina had spoken to him yet.]

Take what you want from that.

[makethman]

It wasn't someone handing out religious pamphlets, was it?

voice

[glassbox]

Hey. Y'think y'could help a gal out? I got this problem with findin' clothes that fit right.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

I can do my best, miss. What kind of problem is it?

voice

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's voice is level, polite right back, and much less couth and proper than Harry's. She's a Londoner, and her accent just about breathes that. ]

There's a fund, if you need it. For new imPorts. It's a man named John Mandrake runs it - if you asked, you could probably get a business loan for start-up costs.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[Harry appreciates the manners, no matter what part of the city the accent comes from. Origins never damned people to what others thought of them.]

That sounds incredibly helpful. [Suspiciously so.] I'll have to look into that, thank you. Where did you hear about that, if you don't mind saying?

[Kids don't typically need business funding.]

voice.

[tardily]

I think the military could occasionally use a tailor. It's not like they walk around naked or anything like that.

[ Which is maybe not the point, which is probably why Barry just sort of barrels on. ]

It's not that forward, I made a video one before I even met any of my housemates. It was because weird circumstances but— we were all new here at one point so I don't think we're in a place to really judge. [ A pause. ] Though the fact that we were once new that might be why they want loyalty right at the beginning.

[ Because who has good reactions to being ported to a completely different universe. ]

[permavoice]

[makethman]

Uniforms tend to be just that: uniform. A tailor can help your clothes reflect who you are underneath them.

Though I'm glad not to be breaking any unspoken rules. Have they had trouble with recent arrivals in the past?

video »

[icy]

[ Look at this slightly damp, icy, ratty blue hoodie from the 80s. Vile. Luckily for Harry, he can't see the type of ancient trousers Jack has on, or he might have been in danger of hyperventilating. ]

Can you show me how to do a correct invisible stitch? Just quickly, not to, uh ... not to take you away from all that suiting up you're probably doing.

[permavoice]

[makethman]

[Harry tends to judge clothing on a sliding scale of the wearer's apparent responsibilities, so he'll forgive someone who looks like a kid.]

As soon as I charitably receive a needle and thread to begin with, I wouldn't mind. Any particular reason why?

voice;

[infomodder]

[Oh no, are there hooks? Guess who is a fisherman, just guess. And if Harry listens to the background noise, there are a few words that crop up to give away that Will's speaking from work, and his work just so happens to be with...]

Can't speak for the military, but I know a few folks [Quaint] in law enforcement who'd be inclined to help out with getting your shop set up, provided your services are fitting.

[Fisherman and a fan of wordplay, what a winner. The guy makes shadow stags, is he really supposed to ignore someone named Hart popping up? Come on now.]

[permavoice]

[makethman]

You mean the superheroes, I take it. Unless the police around here don't already have their hands full.

voice.

[glowsferatu]

I might have been a bit curious about the prospect of some healthy competition, but from other responses it seems you're a bit lacking in my area of specialty.

All the same, from couturier to tailor, you have my welcome.

permavoice

[makethman]

Thank you, miss. Though you may also be able to scout some clients from here, I've had more than a few requests regarding spandex.