My editor wanted a bit more, which matched my private opinion but I wasn’t sure where to put it. Well, that’s where editors are useful, aren’t they? The whole thing is on Patreon; this is just a snippet.
The Franklin Theater
Liberty Lair
(Formerly Philadelphia, PA)
2860 AD
Jackie did not flatter herself that she had a keen eye for humanoid facial expressions. She knew perfectly well that she did, and that was one reason she did so well as a journalist. You needed to know when your interview subject was lying to you, when he was hiding something… and when he wanted to unburden himself, but needed an excuse to do so.
The other reason Jackie was good at her job was because she also knew when to be brash. “You look like you need some air, Luis,” she murmured at her new companion. “It’s a little stuffy in here.”
Luis looked blank for a moment — the opera box was certainly not stuffy, and in fact hinted that there were air-based enchantments going on somewhere — but got the hint. “I do feel a bit of discomfort,” he admitted. “I am not used to Eastern food.”
“I’d say it improves with familiarity,” muttered Jackie with real (and patriotic) feeling, “but I try not to lie. I find moving around helps with the indigestion. Shall we?” She essayed a dimple. “According to the playbill, we have at least fifteen minutes before Cunning-Claws’ first aria.”
… was that a Drowning Pool reference or did Drowning Pool reference something older without me noticing?
Mew
p.s. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_QntXc-c4
She’s a theater critic from New California, so it’s no surprise that she’s familiar with classical music.