paradisalost | Musée de l'Homme - Open to employees and visitors!

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Musée de l'Homme - Open to employees and visitors!

WHO Employees and visitors to the Museum of Man, which is a branch of the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle aka MNHN)
WHAT Museumy stuff, woot!
WHERE Musée de l'Homme, Palais de Chaillot
WHEN 12/19
NOTES Create own subthreads at will! Action spam and prose welcome. Threadjacks welcome. Sorry about the delay.
WARNINGS None I should imagine.

Wes had never actually been to the Musée de l'Homme, despite having had the opportunity to visit Paris many years ago. He was quite excited about the prospect of having a position there. He knew it wouldn't last, but he certainly was curious to see what kind of 'life' he'd apparently established for himself.

As promised, he met Hermione out in front of the monument of Hercules, which was technically at the back of the wing, but it was an easy place to designate as a rendezvous point.

Hopefully he would also get to meet the other people assigned work in the museum. The cafe looked rather good, especially with the terrace view of the Eiffel Tower, perhaps he'd check that out too.

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Jilly's running a bit late, still not familiar enough with the Paris streets to make it there quite on time, but she can't help pausing outside the museum to stare up in wonder, marveling. Only two days in, and it was still hard to wrap her mind around the fact that they were actually in Paris.

Although it's not like Brennan to run late for work, her latest attempt at a telephone call causes her to run a few minutes late. In a hurry to get to her laboratory, she doesn't see Jilly standing in front of the building.

"Excusez-moi," Brennan mutters seconds after bumping into her.

"C'est bien," she replied automatically, turning to give the other woman an apologetic smile.

Brennan nodded, even offered a polite but small smile. Not recognizing Jilly, she gestured towards the museum. Continuing in French, she asked, "Do you work here?"

"Oui..."

She struggled to think of how to specify that she was in the cafe, but she realized that she didn't really have the vocabulary to fill it in. She gave Brennan an apologetic smile. "Parlez-vous anglais?" Do you speak English?

"Yes," she answered, easily switching languages. "In which department do you work?"

Brennan stands in front of a public telephone not too far from the museum. Perhaps it was the definition of insanity, but she is determined to reach Booth. Or anyone back in D.C.

Still, no such luck. Even her attempt at booking a plane had failed - the trip a very short lived flight out and in of Charles de Gaul.

One more telephone call, and she'll go inside the museum.

Wes spies someone he recognises. He's pretty sure that's Dr. Temperance Brennan over at a phone booth. He tries to catch her attention, waving at her, although he doesn't call out yet since she may be busy on the phone.

Frustrated with her lack of success, Brennan hangs up the phone. As far as she can discern, they are in Paris, France. On Earth.

But she can't get through to Booth. She can't leave. And that's more upsetting than she cares to admit.

It doesn't stop her from noticing the man waving in her direction. After a moment's pause and a quick, thoughtful frown, she walks towards him.

"Mr. Wyndam-Pryce?"

"Dr. Brennan." Wes greeted, offering her a polite smile. "No luck, I presume? I've tried to call England and haven't been able to get through."

A nod as an unhappy look briefly crossed her face. It was reassuring to know that she wasn't the only one who had attempted to contact home. But to know that others were also unsuccessful was not very reassuring.

"Have you attempted to leave?"

Hermione did happen to rent a bike and took it to the museum. She secured it before hurrying out where she and Wesley agreed to meet. She already knew from the information she found in her room that Dr. Brennan would be here, but she was excited to see who else would be working with them.

Wes had spoken to Hermione before on the journals, but he'd never met her in person, so he stood by the monument awkwardly, watching for someone approaching who would fit the bill for a young female intern.

Whether Hermione looked the part of an intern was left up to debate. She never actually held a job before, always busy with school-work or on the lam with Harry and Ron. Truthfully she was a little excited about the whole thing. It was like seeing what her life would've been like if she were fully Muggle.

In any case she tried to dress up a little with a collared shirt and jacket with dress pants because of the cold. "Wesley?" she guessed when she saw the man.

"Hermione?" He gave her a relieved nod of greeting and came forward to shake her hand. "I have to admit that the thought of working for such a prestigious institution fills me with both excitement and no small amount of apprehension." He pulled out his identification pass (which was on a helpful lanyard) and showed her. It said he was the Director of Ethnolinguistics. "I suppose we should be wearing these. According to this, I am a professor."

She beamed at the older man, happily shaking his hand in return. It was nice to finally put a name to a face. Seeing his pass reminded Hermione of her own and she dug it out of her purse. It was the same one she had magically charmed to be larger on the inside, though of course it was only normal-sized now.

"I'm only an intern," she noted, "though it does make sense since I'm also a college student."

"Well, if someone hasn't already snapped you up, perhaps you would like to work in my department? If you have an interest in studying ancient languages, that is."

He gestured towards the main entrance and began to walk with her.

Hermione kept in step with him as they made their way together to the front entrance.

"I would love to learn ancient languages," she answered. "That was one of my favorite classes in school." She was sure Dr. Brennan wouldn't mind if she studied under Wesley for a while.

He held the door open for her.

"From what I understand, you are a trained adept in the magical arts? I have some experience with sorcery and participating in arcane rituals, but it's not really where my strengths lie."

"That's right," Hermione answered, "though... I've had to forego my last year of school for personal reasons." She didn't continue with that subject.

"I had no idea you were a wizard as well," she said with a thoughtful frown. "Or is magic different in your world?"

"I believe it is a little different. Magic can be learned by anyone, but some people have more of an affinity towards it than others. Natural talent, as it were. There are, of course, other, more questionable methods some people use to gain more magical power. Dark sorcery, blood sacrifices to certain deities and so on. I've learned what I have through practice and years of study. But, as far as I know, there aren't really any established schools for magic on my world."

Smiling, he waved a self-deprecating hand.

"Probably some of the things I've learned to do would seem like child's play to one such as yourself. But, at least, we do seem to share a thirst for knowledge and enjoyment of academia."

Hermione took all of this new information in with a thoughtful frown. It made her wonder if she still would've excelled if she didn't have Hogwarts to guide her magical training. Perhaps, but she wouldn't have Harry and Ron.

"Oh, yes," she agreed with a nod. "If it's all right, I'd love to look at some of your books when we get back to the castle." There was no doubt in her mind that they would. From everything she read in the journal, changes like this were only temporary.

Eleven walks over to the group assembled in the atrium by the handy dandy little flag that reads 'Guided Tours" He's grinning from ear to ear and, having added a beret to his ensemble, feels like he's looking properly French.

He spreads his arms wide, "Welcome to Le Musée de l'Homme. Started in 1937 by Paul Rivet," He gestures to a portrait (http://www.browsebiography.com/images/1/3037-Paul_Rivet_bio.jpg) behind him, "this museum is a marvelous addition to the MNMH." He pauses. "Paul Rivet himself was a very interesting man. A doctor, actually. He published works saying that people from South America had actually originally come from Australia and Melanesia. He was director of the MNMH, founded a number of other museums, wrote books and papers, headed an anti-fascism movement, was a delegate for the UN and still found time to travel the world and remain happily married."

He smiles. "So! This museum, founded in 1937... wait... I already did that bit, didn't I? Ah, well, no matter. I'm the Doctor and I'll be guide for today. Any questions?" without waiting for a response, "No? Good. Shall we?"

With that, he twirls on his heel and starts into the main hall. This is going to be easier than he thought! Really. How hard can this be?

Wes had decided to take the tour to familiarise himself with the exhibits. He couldn't help but give the Doctor an amused smile, seeing him sporting a beret and trying to fulfill his role with typical gusto.

He follows along with the group, leaflet in hand, his gaze sweeping over the various displays.

It really is everything she could ask for: a position at a prestigious institute, conducting research on the comparative morphology of Neandertal and archaic Homo sapien, absolutely no murders or magic castles in sight.

Even though Brennan wants to continue her attempts to contact D.C., it's easy for her to get caught up in her research.

You'll have to talk loudly to get her attention.

Castiel is loitering around the museum, paying close attention to the spectacles of humanity that it teaches but really no more amused by the sudden change of events and being in Paris than he was days prior.

His hands at his sides, he walks past Brennan inspecting the skeleton and pauses only to watch her intently. Curious as to what she's doing. This might come off a little creepy, but he means well.

To some it might come off as a little bit creepy, but Brennan really just doesn't notice. She's too busy looking over the humerus in her hand to really pay attention to anything else going on in her lab right now.

But at one point, she does reach to pull her laptop over and it's then she sees Castiel.

In French, "Can I help you?"

He's a little taken aback by her acknowledgement of him but still says nothing of it. At least until he's addressed. He answers in the same tongue.

"No, I was merely surveying."

Brennan nods, carefully placing the bone back on the table. "Do you work here?"

Cas just gestured uncomfortably to his cassock. "I preach at a cathedral in the middle of the city."

A frown.

"You should not be back here."

His expression mirrors her own. "I'm aware," he just had no concept of boundaries. "I needed a break. Somewhere to think. This seemed the best place." If not for its link to the history of humanity for lesser educational reasons.

"This is highly sensitive material," she responded, gesturing to the fossilized bone in front of her. "I have to ask you to leave."

Castiel raises his palms up to show he meant no harm and slinks toward the door. "As you wish," he'd leave for now and inspect the rest of the museum.

Brennan kept her eye on him as he walked towards the door, to make certain that he would not touch anything else. Trust was not something she normally excelled at, let alone in a laboratory of valuable and fragile material.

"I would recommend paying attention to the signs marked employees only as you leave," she said politely in French. "They are there for a reason."

Wes is trying to get settled in. It's strange to have research associates. People who defer to him as a matter of course. It doesn't take him long to get engrossed in the work present to him.

For example, right now he's examining several Rongorongo tablets which have just recently been discovered and acquired by the Museum but are not yet on display.

The still as yet undeciphered glyphs are fascinating to behold in person. He'd read about the Santiago tablet years ago and now is thrilled to discover that it's housed in this very building.

Perhaps these new pieces will help shed more light on the Easter Island hieroglyphic writing system.

For the first half of the day, Jilly can be found behind the counter of the cafe. She didn't get the castle's lovely gift of translation, so her French isn't perfect, but she knows enough to get by.

Wes decides to take a break from acclimatising himself with his assigned position and comes to the cafe to see what they have on offer. He's pleasantly surprised to see one of the Paradisa residents behind the counter.

"Hello. Jilly, isn't it?"

"It is." She smiles back, delighted to see a familiar face. "Wes...it's good to see you." And a bit of relief to be able to switch back to English. She knew a little French from home, but as the castle hadn't gifted her with the translation skills to speak it effortlessly, the day had been a bit of a mental challenge.

"It's good to see you too. How are you finding Paris? I have to say that it's been far more enjoyable, so far, than our pirate adventure."

He offers a smile and glances around the cafe, taking in the atmosphere.

The Gift Shop was, without a doubt, the safest venue for her if she was to spend any length of time in this museum. She had already been forced to walk past several of the priceless items the museum housed and, throughout the entire walk, she held her breath and made it a point to take the long way around. In fact, her walk probably looked absolutely ridiculous.

She was not about to let her loss get in the way of her.. job. Were they even aware that she had never worked a day in her life? Oh, her father would have a fit if he saw her right now. Without taking the time to see if anyone had actually walked into the shop, Elena let out a sigh.

"Oh, Elena, please don't mess this up."

"You speak English." Wes observed, giving the woman who was in the gift shop a friendly smile. He'd wandered in to look at what was for sale, contemplating getting a little memento of his time there. Although whether they even were able to take items back with them when everything changed back, and he assumed it would, was debatable. He examined the Eiffel Tower snow globe with interest.

Edited 2011-12-21 21:19 (UTC)

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Musée de l'Homme - Open to employees and visitors!

Subsection: Meet and Greet

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sorry for so so late

it's ok!

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/fails with the lateness

Lateness is fine with me :)

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Subsection: Tours anyone?

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Subsection: Employees only areas

Brennan's Laboratory

Brennan's Laboratory

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Comparative Ethnolinguistic department.

Subsection: Cafe and Gift Shop

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