Popcorn Can't Hold Me Down! (Semi-Open RP)

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

The last thing Murphy remembered was trying, for what felt like the thousandth time, to get ahold of Dresden. She had a case that was...well, it was going badly. Very badly. And this was a hell of a time for Dresden to go missing. Murphy hated to admit it, but she was in way over her head.

Actually, since Harry'd been missing for months, she probably shouldn't be as irritated as she was. He'd just taken off with no note, no contact, and indication he was going to return. Just swell. So the director of S.I. was left without a professional wizard in a town that seemed to attract the creepy crawlies. Not that she couldn't hold her own. But now she was seriously missing him - in a strictly professional capacity - and Murphy was pissed to no end that he was unreachable.

One second she was standing at yet another crime scene, her cell pressed to her ear, legs braced apart, eyes furrowed, listening to the freaking recording - again - and the next she was standing in a stone room surrounded by popcorn kernels. Huh.

The cop in Karrin didn't hesitate a beat. Her gun was out, cell phone away, and she was sweeping the room in one smooth motion. As she walked from the doorway out into the hall, her brow furrowed. This...could not be what she was thinking it was. It was impossible.

But after she'd passed her fourth suit of armor, Murphy had the sinking sensation that this was not the result of a knock upside the head. Slowly lowering her gun, she gaped for a moment at one of the portraits - which freaking moved - and the torches providing illumination. She had just somehow transported from Chicago to a castle.

She had been trying to reach Dresden. Now she was in a fairy tale castle, just missing a bullfrog and a head of hair from here to China. Not hard to figure out how to blame.

"Dresden! she shouted, eyes narrowing. "You half-witted wizard, you come and fix this right now or I will make you pay!"

Comments

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

That had occurred to me before now. "Well, yeah. I know someone you might be able to borrow some from, until you can either find yours or get new ones." Lily wasn't much taller than Murphy, and I was pretty sure she'd be totally willing to loan some out. "Meanwhile, at least my shirts ought to work all right."

I dug through my closet, eventually producing one of the few Star Wars T-shirts that had survived the purge she'd done on my closet when we body-swapped. "Bathroom's that way, if you want a shower," I said, nodding to the far door. She looked tired--no, she looked exhausted. "And unlike my place, they actually have hot water here."

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

Accepting the t-shirt with a nod of thanks, Murphy stood. "Sounds good. We'll work on that in the morning." Or when she didn't feel like she was going to collapse. She'd been running on bad coffee and adrenaline, and now that both were fading so was she.

Oh, God, a hot shower. "Sounds like heaven," she admitted with a small smile. Stretching, arms above her head and back arched, she then padded into the bathroom, calling, "I'll only be a few minutes. And try not to get taken by the elves while I'm gone, Harry."

The shower was better than heaven. Hot water pounding onto her sore muscles was bliss and Murphy was in the bathroom far longer than she'd intended. But she was boneless and mellow when she came back out, hair still damp and feet bear, legs poking out from under Harry's t-shirt. She'd kept on her bra and underwear (http://www2.victoriassecret.com/images/prodpri/V265506.jpg), of course, but left the rest of the clothes to be laundered.

Stifling a yawn, she stretched again, feeling much better, and looked over at Harry. "Don't suppose you know where we could get a burger where the dress code is just below 'bum casual', do you?"

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

The house elves had come for her clothes while she took a shower--how the hell they knew when to show up, I still didn't know. I had a hard time keeping a straight face when she emerged from the bathroom--the T-shirt, which fit me just find, came down below her knees.

"The house elves do take-out," I said. "Not that you'd stand out here, really--you'd be surprised some of the crap people wear." Well, actually, she probably wouldn't, though it was weirder here even than Chicago.

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

Shaking her head, she decided to let that fly. Talk of house elves was a bit beyond her capabilities at the moment. Smiling at the sight of Harry all comfortable on his couch with Mister, Murphy joined them, curling up at the far end with her legs tucked under her. "I don't care if everyone here regularly wears capes or tutus, I'm not going out in your t-shirt and nothing else."

Her cheek rested on the back of the couch and she fought back another yawn. "What's good to eat, then? And if you say 'bangers' or 'mash' I will kick you someplace. Hard." Since she looked at the moment more like a sleepy kitten than anything else, that threat was probably a bit hard to take seriously.

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

I burst out laughing. "Never tried either," I said. "You can get a hamburger here, if you ask the right elf. You can get just about anything here, including my kind of coffee." Which was like tar--so thick you could stand the spoon up in it.

Mister, traitor cat, climbed off my lap and ambled over to rub his head against Murphy's knee. "Capes and tutus...aren't far off the mark, actually," I added. "Trust me on this." Granted, most of the really weird stuff was worn by people who weren't actually from Earth, but not all of it.

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

Expression shifting to a slightly delighted grin, Karrin reached out to scratch Mister behind his ears. "Your kind of coffee is a health hazard, Harry. And...okay, I'll bite. Seriously, an elf?"

Running her hand down Mister's back, she bit back another yawn. "If I ever see you in a tutu, I will die happy." Her back arched slightly as she stretched. "How about a burger, then? With everything. And some coffee that won't give me a coronary."

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

"Just because you can clean battery cables with it doesn't mean it's a health hazard," I said. "And yeah, seriously an elf. They don't look like what you'd think of as an elf, though--they're maybe two feet high, with bat ears and giant eyeballs."

I wished I'd had a sock, so I could throw it at her. "You will never," I said, "ever, ever, ever see me in a tutu." I might not have much dignity, but I have some, dammit. "As for a burger...well. Summon one of the little bastards--all you usually have to do is say you want one to take your order."

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

"I bet you'd wear one if I asked real nice," Karrin teased with a grin.

Oh, summoning things. Um, okay. Looking kind of uncertain, she shot Harry a glance before clearing her throat and saying, "Hello?" Okay, she felt really stupid now and if Harry was just pulling her leg she was going to--

HOLY CRAP.

A tiny little malformed midget had just appeared out of nowhere and Murphy was only slightly ashamed to admit she'd jumped back, practically into Harry's lap. "Jesus Ch-"

The thing bowed at her and Murphy let out a short, choking laugh. "Okay. Wow." Looking at Harry again, she tucked her hair behind her ears. "Um, can I get a cheeseburger? With everything? Oh, and two cups of coffee - one that'd strip your intestines and one normal."

The elf bowed again and disappeared with a crack. Murphy just stared for a second at the place where it'd been, then shook her head. "Okay. That was weird as hell."

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

I had to laugh. "Told you," I said, aware I was probably going to get smacked. "House elves. They can get you almost anything, though I wouldn't trust them to do Mexican." I'd learned that the hard way, though I wasn't about to say so to Murphy--the last thing I needed was to give her more ammunition to taunt me. "And no, I'm not wearing a tutu. Ever. I'd draw the line at anything worse than a leotard."

[karrinmurphy.livejournal.com]

Eyes narrowing at him, Karrin shot out an elbow to his side. "Real helpful, Dresden," she muttered, reestablishing some distance between them. (Ha! It was like a metaphor for their relationship.)

"Yeah, somehow I don't think I'm going to be trusting them with much of anything. Did you see it's ears? Ears like that do not bode well for take out." No, seriously!

Flashing a grin at him, Murphy leaned back, starting to laugh. "Oh, God, the mental picture of you in a leotard..." Trailing off into giggles again, Murphy realized just how tired she must be. But no, really, the idea of Harry in a leotard was pretty hilarious.

[dresdenfile.livejournal.com]

I had to laugh with her. Not because I found the idea of me in a leotard particularly funny, but because she was Murphy, and she was here. It didn't matter that she didn't remember anything of her time before here--she was Murphy, and she was here. Even if nothing ever changed between us, the fact that she was at Hogwarts counted for a hell of a lot.

"I don't know," I said, dead serious. "I don't think I have the legs to pull it off."