-insert name here-'s Place and Everywhere Else ~ Geezerville

[FireSpark]

Daniel politely declined the pasta. At Jessi's question, he turned to look at the sun setting behind the hoirzon. He then looked to the street, which was beginning to fill with evening activities. A final look towards the Burgtheater, taking in the way the light only barely still lit the roof, and then he turned back to Jessi with a quirk of a grin.

"You have time to finish your meal, if you wish. Or, we could arrive early. Perhaps give my new friend some of those encouraging words you are so good with."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi was momentarily awed at the sheer beauty the setting sun created around the city. It cast a soft orange light on everything and everyone, and the sky was gorgeous.

She turned to look at Daniel when he spoke and blushed brightly at the last thing he said. He hadn't expected him to say something so wonderful and kind right then. It caught her off guard, though not in a bad way.

One corner of her mouth quirked up into a half grin and she glanced at Daniel momentarily before looking back at the napkin in her lap.

"I... You think I was that encouraging with you, really? I wanted to help, but I was afraid I was too pushy. That... it means a lot, what you said I mean. Thank you, Daniel."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel look slightly confused, yet amused.

"Pushy? You were hardly that. I mean you asked permission to hug me not so long ago. Harldy sounds pushy to me. Besides. Why would I say something if I did not think it so?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi continued to blush and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she giggled.

"No, you wouldn't say something you didn't mean... It's so nice to hear that you think I helped you. Thank you, Daniel. That means a lot."

She looked up at him and smiled softly for a few moments. Finally, she looked back over at the treats. "Do you think they have doggy bags? Have they been invented? I'd love to take these back to the hotel for later, and then we could go to the theater early, if you wanted to. I would absolutely LOVE to tour the theater before the performance began. What would you prefer to do?"  

[FireSpark]

Daniel's eyes narrowed as he thought.

"I don't think that carry out dining has quite the connotation you are familiar with, but it be easily arranged."

Daniel rasied a hand in the air, his pointer finger in the air, before dropping it again.

"And if you were wanting to see the theater before the performance, then yes, now would be a perfect time to head over."

The waiter from earlier arrived momentarily, and Daniel left instructions for the remainder of Jessi's meal to be delivered to his suite at the hotel. The waiter blinked only a moment, but quickly nodded assent. That done Daniel rose, donning his bicorne hat as he did. Coming around to Jessi's chair he waited till she was ready before backing it out, allowing her to stand. Extending an elbow, he led her out into the shadowy Vienna evening.  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi smiled at Daniel when he came around, moved her chair out for her, and led her out of the restaurant by the arm.

"Thank you, Daniel. I can't believe they will deliver the food back to the hotel. I wouldn't even dream of that service in our future. This is so cool..."

She moved a little closer to his side and looked around at the gorgeous city. "Too bad we can't take pictures. Man... This is just awesome! I can't wait til we get to the theater."

Soon, they were standing in front of the theater and Jessi looked up at the tall building in awe.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel allowed Jessi a few moments to stand awestruck before the Burgtheater, before leading her inside the bright white building. The front lobby was done up in full grand fashion. The rugs and curtains were both deep and dark red in color, embroidered with golden thread in intricate patterns. All the wood surfaces in the room were dark and polished to an almost mirror shine. There were already a few people moving through, most of them theater workers preparing for the evening's performace. Daniel and Jessi weren't the only attendees already present though, as seen by a small cluster of men in long fanciful coats, and women in bountifully flowing dresses.

Daniel lead them both to liveried man outside a coat room, and handed over his large hat. Finally he lead Jessi to the doors that led from the lobby to main theater, allowing her to see boh from where they stood.

"Well? What do you think?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi looked at everything in wonder. This was so much fun, and everything looked just as she remembered, which was weird since she never even went to this theater when she visited Vienna in college!

"This place looks just like the opera house that I visited in college! It hasn't been built yet, like you said, but maybe they used this design to influence them when they were building the opera house. Are there small rooms with couches in them that are available for people to sit in during intermission? Oh! What about a lobby with a soda fountain and those tall skinny tables?"  

[FireSpark]

Daniel couldn't but lugh softly, throwing his hands up in a mocking defense.

"Hey, easy now. I haven't really gotten out and about too much. I've been busy chatting up a bunch of people with more money than common sense for the last few weeks, remember?"

Daniel let his hands fall to his sides as he glanced suggestively into the main theater hall.

"Wanna go see why?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi looked over at Daniel when she heard him laugh, and her eyes began to sparkle with mirth. Daniel was laughing! She loved that sound. It meant that he was relaxed and having fun. Oh she prayed that this lasted. He definitely deserved it.

She grinned at him and nodded. "Yeah, sure! But isn't it still too early for the performance? Well, we could go in and sit, anyway! We can just talk until the performance starts if you want. I can't believe we're going to soon hear Beethoven!! This is incredible!"

{{Do you want to skip to after the show?}}  

[FireSpark]

{{ Actually, we'll probably gloss over the actual show itself, but there's still some to be done. }}

Daniel's grin shifted to something more devious, and his eyes held a look as if he had done something extremely clever.

"Well, we could go in and sit. And I know that the performance will be a wonderful experience. But you know, I haven't been calling him 'my friend Ludwig' for nothing you know."

Daniel made another motion towards the performance hall with his eyes, this time adding his head to the motion.  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi gasped, almost coughing in the process. She looked between Daniel and down the hall where he had been gesturing several times before finally speaking softly.

"You... No, you want us to go and talk with him?! To the Beethoven?! That's... I... I wouldn't be able to speak! This isn't some celebrity or anything. This is a historical figure that changed music forever! Couldn't we possibly change the future if we go in there and talk with him? We could mess up something. We might ruin the future!"

Yes, she was very nervous now and her mind almost snapped at just the idea of meeting Beethoven. She could barely grasp the idea.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel smiled knowingly, but still lead Jessi back a few steps so that she closer to a chair should she actually become light headed.

"Well, I have been meeting with the man fairly regularly for over a month. And the fact taht you still recall him as you do, tells me that nothing has changed as far as his recognition goes. Your scientists would have you think that meeting a single historical figure, or stepping on the proverbial butterfly, could alter world evets irrevocably. That would be a straight up case of arrogance. Do you think history recalls every person Ludwig von Beethoven ever met?"

The playful smile of old slowly crept over Daniel's face. He gently took Jesi's hand and started leading her down towards the stage area.

"C'mon, it'll be fun. Think of it as part of the adventure."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

{{I'll be heading home in about 8 minutes, but it doesn't take me long to get home, so I'll be back soon! biggrin }}

Jessi was still as wide eyed as ever as Daniel led her down the hallway. "But... but what if we say the wrong thing? What if we say or do something that shocks him and he has a heart attack and dies?!"

Then, she thought of something. "Though... if that happens, couldn't you just take us back like 5 minutes into the past, have us not do whatever it was to affect him, and everything would be fine in the future, our present?"

Her mind was swimming.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel smiled at Jessi as he led her into a side hall near the stage. The hall curved sharply, leading to the preparation rooms and such that were backstage.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine, you're just overthinking it a bit. Just remember to be calm. And to be yourself. He's the new big thing now, what with the few big pieces he's already done. And believe or not, people of this age do fawn over their celebrities just as much as they do in yours."

They arrived in a narrow hallway located just behind the main stage. There a few empty rooms, meant for performers or other VIPs to sit while awaiting their moment. Finally, Daniel found a door opened only a crack, and a peek inside revealed a person moving about inside, grumbling to themselves. Daniel smiled to himself, as he recognized both the clothing and the voice. He glanced back at Jessi, and spoke in a slightly lowered voice.

"Ready? You don't have to, mind you. If you want, we go back and just find a seat. The final decision is up to you."