(I refuse your merry making and offer annoyance instead) Voice: TheStrandInstitute

[nobasisinfact]

It seems someone felt it appropriate to put some sort of concoction in my tea. While not completely debilitating I find the results, irritating.

I'd appreciate it if someone happened to know exactly what idiotic concoction of the month is supposed to cause color blindness. Complete color blindness.

[There's a grumble after a few seconds.]

Because of course, this place would do something this stupid.

Comments

[11calls]

[After he leaves, Alex makes a face and then swallow. As soon as it hits the back of her throat, her world goes black and white.]

Wow. Okay.

[nobasisinfact]

I assume that means you've drunk it.

[11calls]

Obviously. Man, this stuff would give you a migraine if you took it too much.

[Clearly don't take it anymore, Richard.]

Come back in.

[nobasisinfact]

It is, uncomfortable.

[He walks back into the room.]

[11calls]

[Whereas Richard had seen the red of Alex's dress first, for her it was the bright blue of his eyes, and it just made her grin as the colors came flooding back into her almost like a wave. With a breathless little laugh, Alex just nodded.]

Came right back when I saw you, Richard.

[nobasisinfact]

It would be more conclusive if we could have someone else here.

[CALL JEFF!]

[11calls]

Do we really want to subject someone else to spending the month like this when there's not a possible antidote if they don't have someone here?

[Alex didn't sound all that much like she wanted to do that, honestly.]

[nobasisinfact]

Jeff made comments of desperately wanting to assist.

[He's the kind of friend who will throw you under the bus if you laugh at him.]

[11calls]

We're not turning our friends colorblind because we're doing science-y things, Richard.

They're our friends.

[And Jeff is like one of the people in trusts in Riverview other than her, so no.]

[nobasisinfact]

[If Jeff were really his friend he'd be okay with letting him have this science.]

Acquaintances, and I don't see how that changes anything.

[11calls]

[Richard friends aren't for experimenting.]

Friends. [Of course she's going to correct him, because that's what Jeff is.]

You really don't need more data on the subject. It's doing what it's supposed to do.

[nobasisinfact]

Annoy me?

[Because really, that's what it was doing.]

[11calls]

[Alex is just going to roll her eyes.]

Yes, Dr. Strand. The potion is just here to annoy the hell out of you.

[A beat.]

Did you look at other people after you drank it but before I showed up?

[nobasisinfact]

Of course I did.

[He's trying not to roll his eyes as he pours two glasses of scotch.]

[11calls]

[Alex will roll her eyes for both of them, then, it's a gift.

And she's just going to sit on his desk without saying anything. Work it out, Dr. Strand with your three PhDs from Yale including one in refusing to see the obvious before his nose.]

[nobasisinfact]

[He hands her one of the glasses.]

I'm aware of the intent, Alex, I just find it idiotic.

[11calls]

[Taking the drink, Alex just sips it, trusting that there's no more potions in it.]

You can find it idiotic all you want to, Richard, it's still what it is. Riverview has its own sort of magic. I don't believe in all of that soulmate stuff, you know that...

[Because honestly, the way they went about things is sort of anti-soulmatey if one things about it.]

But the Riverview magic it seems does intend for us to be together. So, just... let that part of it go and let's focus on finding the idiot who did it so you can make their lives hellish for the next six months or so.

[nobasisinfact]

I can't think of any staff that I've been particularly annoying to.

[Just dismissive and unfriendly.]

[11calls]

[Alex is just going to look at him over the tops of her glasses with an amused half-grin. She knows you, Richard. She's been there.]

So it's a student or a TA then, someone who wouldn't have attracted attention with anything.

[nobasisinfact]

Most likely, yes.

[11calls]

What students have you particularly had trouble with?

[Alex knows better than to ask if he's had trouble with students, she's been on the other side when he's being an asshole and she knows.]

[nobasisinfact]

[He makes his way around his desk and pulls out his roster. The problems are highlighted.]

[11calls]

[Alex is just going to let out a low whistle.]

That many, huh? Jesus, Richard, you're lucky no one egged the house or something.

[Not that she would have done that. Ever. Alex Reagan was a good little student. Gesturing to the other color she asked:]

What's this?

[nobasisinfact]

Particularly problematic students.

[11calls]

[Alex is just going to sound amused.]

Should we be employing a bodyguard for you, Richard?