Going to make it through the night } OTA!

[beautifullies]

Who: Claire Fraser and YOU!
Where: Vendor's area, library
When: after the Love Hotel
Rating: PG-13 for language in a prompt lol
Summary: Claire browses for things and hits the books.
The Story:

° Vendors

[ In the nearly two years since Claire’s been in Wonderland, she’s never truly thought of meandering through the sort of bazaar type set-up that was home to the vendors. She doesn’t know much about other worlds and what they may have in them, but today she has a basket full of freshly made salves and ointments and makes her way through the stalls, admiring things from places she can hardly imagine. She’s looking for anything vaguely medicinal, anything that might make sense to her when she spots a simple blue vase.

Seeing it takes her back to post World War Two, pre-Jamie. Back to a time when she’d longed for a home with roots to grow. A place to keep a vase. She certainly doesn’t need the vase now, but she trades peppermint oil for it and goes about her business. Eventually, she collects a nice glass set of empty bottled though some still have the labels in tact. ]

What in God’s name would one do with dragon’s blood?

[ Not ‘how are dragons real?’ but what purpose does the blood serve? Wonderland has opened her eyes to many things. Still, she keeps collecting and trading and even finds some sort of whiskey for Jamie (she trades away aloe extract for it) and bottles that are actually full with liquids, trading away a large bouquet of dried herbs this time. Everything is fascinating to her, straddling two different times, and she now holds a few more bottles, some full and some empty, trying to decide what to trade for it. ]

Alright. How much is a cure for loose bowels from 1906 worth to you, Beauchamp?

[ She says it out loud, to herself, but not quietly. ]

° Library

[ Claire knows by now that her death, at least, is recorded history, but today she isn’t looking for that morose of an article. No; she’s looking for anything regarding North Carolina in the 18th century, late, perhaps 1769 or '70. She wants to know of Fraser’s Ridge, of the things she’ll accomplish with Jamie.

Even if they die doing it, at least they can know they made some sort of difference.

Rather than sit with a book she finally pulls off a shelf, Claire holds it open and reads, finger dragging along a page. It’s ten thousand acres which stops her heart for a moment, even if Jamie’s told her as such after leaving Wonderland and returning. When she finds a map, Claire finally sits and stares at it, resisting the urge to tear it out of the book if only because she respects Sunburst’s appreciation for all of the novels homed here. ]

Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.

[ She mutters it under her breath, then follows the text. Fraser’s Ridge as a historic landmark in North Carolina. Historic. A legacy for Brianna, as Jamie wanted, then. Fraser’s Ridge had borders with an Indian reservation. Its name is Anna Ooka. Natives. She knows, of course, about the terrible things done to those who were rightfully on the land first, and she can’t imagine herself or Jamie being insensitive to that. Putting the book down, Claire seems lost in thought as she tries to wrap her mind around so much life she hasn’t lived yet and the fact that it’s in text before her. ]

Bloody time travel.

Comments

Library because I do what I want

[bibliocorn]

[If he knew, Sunburst would very much appreciate Claire's restraint in not tearing out pages of the beloved library books. He's going about his usual business when he comes across Claire- always happy to give up a little of his time for a friend. He smiles, wandering over.]

Well, it does have often unintended side effects. [Time travel.] You find something interesting?

yes give me everything

[beautifullies]

[ Claire spares a glance over at Sunburst before nodding. ]

History. My history. Things I haven't lived yet, but look.

[ She pushes the book toward him and smiles, making a circle with her finger on the page. ]

Apparently, my husband and I have ten-thousand acres that we'll call 'Fraser's Ridge.'

:3

[bibliocorn]

Oooh, I do love learning about your world's history.

[Because it's so VARIED, so exciting. They have a WHOLE LOT OF WARS which isn't so great, but the rest is amazing. He leans in to peek at the map, smiling.]

Wow! So you'll get yourself a proper slab of the land, that's quite the legacy there.

[beautifullies]

[ Claire lets out a soft laugh, shaking her head in shock. ]

All Jamie's doing, I'm sure. He did tell me that he wanted to try to make the country better, for our daughter. But I haven't seen it yet. I've been here, instead.

[bibliocorn]

That sounds pretty noble.

[Sunburst offers an encouraging smile.]

I'm sure you'll see it one day. I mean, it's right here, in black and white. It's just a case of waiting til the right time.

[beautifullies]

The bloody fool tries.

[ Those words are said with quite a lot of love, and she lets her fingers trace the page for a moment before letting out a soft breath. ]

I'm sure I would have told him there's a war coming before he made his decision.

[bibliocorn]

[That love is very clear and his own smile softens at it. That's sweet.]

A war in this place? [He points a hoof at the map. He still doesn't quite GET human warfare. ]

[beautifullies]

[ Claire nods, then gets up for a moment to find a bigger map of the United States before circling the large space with her finger that was the impacted area during the Revolutionary War. ]

All of this area fought for independence from the British, which was over the sea, here.

[ She shows him, drawing a line with the same finger across the ocean. ]

Jamie and I settled in the colonies in 1767. The war begins in 1775, ending in 1783.

[ It's not long at all to settle, to live in relative peace before all hell breaks loose. And the years they do have depend on whether or not they die in a fire before that. ]

[bibliocorn]

[That's a pretty big country- perhaps around the size of Equestria, it's nice to have an image to the place so many here call home. It's fascinating to him, all this moving between nations. Creatures tend to stay in their own countries- certainly, they visit, but they never go there to live. ]

Um. Assuming those are years? [How do Equestrians mark their years, who knows, it's a mystery.] That's...not a long time. Before everything goes crazy. And that's a very long war.

[Theirs tend to last for a couple days at most, because they have Living Friendship Nuke Twilight Sparkle on their side. ]

[beautifullies]

They are years, and yes, it is quite a long time. And it isn't the only war this country will be a part of.

[ Unfortunately. ]

This will be the second I see.

[ Well, assuming she lives that long. ]

The first, I was a part of. I was a medic and it was called a World War. My country and others against this one.

[ She points to Germany. ]

I can explain it but honestly, I won't bore you. What I do know is that war is war, and I'm quite tired of being a part of them no matter what century I'm in.

[ Culloden and the Revolution in the 18th century. Born at the end of the first World War, part of the second. Korea, Vietnam. They don't end, really. ]

[bibliocorn]

[He cants his head, listening. There's been threats of wars in Equestria- with the border nations before now. Hell, Yakyakistan threatened war on the regular, once upon a time. But these days, peace is becoming more and more powerful. Even with the more violent nations, such as the Dragonlands and Griffonstone.]

I can't imagine it's easy, living in a war. I hope that you'll get through it and now have to deal with another. You deserve a chance to rest and be with your family.

[beautifullies]

It would be nice.

[ We'll see. Brianna is making an effort to warn them about the fire, at least. But for now, Claire turns her attention back to him. ]

How and why does it feel as though we haven't spoken much lately? I know I've been a bit preoccupied but it still feels like too long.

[bibliocorn]

[He offers an easy smile.]

Well, I'd be a hypocrite if I looked down on you for that. Most of my time is spent being pre-occupied. I'll admit, I um...struggle to remember to reconnect sometimes. Probably something I should work on.

[beautifullies]

Well, it's easy to let happen here, don't worry too much about it. As long as I haven't missed anything important with you.

[ She wants to catch up, to know if there's anything he needs, as a friend should. Everyone comes and goes so quickly; she never wants to be so out of touch that she can't remember when she spoke to someone last or have regrets about keeping up with people she cares for. ]

[bibliocorn]

[He chuckles, waving off her concern with a forehoof.]

It's okay, absolutely nothing interesting happened to me at all. That's the benefits of being friends with somepony who never leaves the library. My days generally the same.

[And he has exactly zero concerns about that. ]

[beautifullies]

The library wherever I was growing up was always such a haven to me.

[ Claire has zero concerns, too, apparently. ]

No matter what country I was in, books were familiar and sacred to me. I could always find something in a language I spoke and as a young woman with little interest in dating, my uncle quite often found me, nose in a book.

[ She's proud that she's and Jamie both managed to pass on that love of books and reading to Brianna. ]

There's little wrong with books for company.

[bibliocorn]

The library in Canterlot was one of the few happy places I had there.

[The only happy place, if he were completely honest. He hated Canterlot. He hated how much you were looked down on if you weren't whatever perfect ideal of unicorn they had in their heads. He was never made to fit into that city. The only part he misses is the library. He chuckles at her story. ]

Oh yes. I much prefer to spend my time with my books than out with other ponies. But it's helped out more and a few times when Starlight's friends have been defending Equestria, so clearly it has some use.

[He'll happily remain the gang's scholar forever- even if it means them occasionally dragging him along for whatever world-saving adventure they're on at the time.]

[beautifullies]

I have heard that reading is an invaluable weapon.

[ She smiles again and lets out a content sigh. ]

I never had to worry about other ponies, but I certainly didn't have many friends. I was never in one place long enough.

[ But even in Boston, she'd had Joe and truly, that was it. She'd nursed an ache for so long that she filled it with focusing on work and Brianna. In that incorrect order. ]

[bibliocorn]

That's something I can get behind.

[Books are the goddamn best and that's a hill he'd be willing to die on.]

I had Starlight, but then- well for a few years I was alone, too. Between Canterlot and moving to the Crystal Empire...I made a habit of keeping myself distance.

[Until Starlight came back into his life and dragged him into society kicking and screaming the whole way.]

[beautifullies]

And how do you find your experience here? In meeting people, I mean, and getting to know them?

[ She smiles softly at him. ]

I've found I made friends I don't think I ever possibly could have without finding myself in Wonderland.

[ Present company included! ]

[bibliocorn]

A little better than home, admittedly. Wonderland has a way of dragging me out of the library sometimes if I like it or not.

[Because events are always gonna be a Thing. He chuckles, adjusting his glasses.]

Absolutely there are a fascinating number of worlds and species on show here...admittedly mostly bipedal, but I don't hold that against you. There are friends here I couldn't even imagine having back home.

[Present company absolutely included.]

[beautifullies]

Would you like to see more people from home here? I've met a few people with quite a few varying opinions on the matter.

[ She's curious; she would never want Brianna here but now that she is, well. She doesn't want to let go of her ever again. It's conflicting. ]

[bibliocorn]

There are ponies I miss, back home. Though...I don't really have a lot of friends in Equestria- certainly none who'd be happy here.

[Wonderland is so very different from Equestria- the transition to live here is a difficult one. He's not sure he'd wish it on any of the girls. ]

I guess I've just learned to make the most of it. Besides, I still have Starlight.

[beautifullies]

[ Claire mentally kicks herself - ponies vs. people, but just commits to doing better rather than say something aloud now. ]

It's a tricky balance, wanting someone here versus knowing they wouldn't be happy. I would never want Brianna here if I could bring her, but now that she is...well. I'd be heartbroken if she left again.

[bibliocorn]

[At least he doesn't seem all that offended by it. Far from it.]

That's true. This isn't the safest place for anyone to be. But still, it's not quite the same without them. I've had a full year without having stringed peas thrown at me or trying and failing to get a very overpowered foal to sleep. Even after a year that feels weird.

[Turns out when you're used to looking after a Baby God all the live long day normal life is horribly sedate afterwards.]

And...yeah. I worry about Starlight here. She's come from a point in time where things aren't easy for her. She still has so little faith in herself. I know going home would be better for her, in the long run...but I'd still miss her.