[Day 6]

[stillwinningthehardway]

[Scout clears her throat, a bit uncertain about addressing everyone, but she has several things to say.]

There's a lot in the market. [She sounds a little dubious. Capitalism is not her forte.] And if we're getting each other stuff, I'm not sure... okay, what kinds of things do people actually want?

[Hastily:] I'm not saying I'll get it for you. Or anyone else will. General ideas, I guess? What kinds of things. Maybe your best colors. And how do people feel about being given items related to their job? Clothes people getting cloth? Do you want that, or do you handle it enough and can get better anyway, more officially?

Also giving people animals randomly without asking about things sounds like a bad idea. Even pokemon are a lot of work, and you can just keep them in storage half the time. No one get me an animal, by the way.

Comments

[starseedling]

I... don't think the point is to get people materials for their job. The Ringmaster usually does that with the Acquisitioner. I think this is more about getting stuff for personal projects!

[stillwinningthehardway]

Oh. [She still sounds uncertain.] There's going to be overlap, though, and it's probably still worth asking - maybe they're happy just keeping cloth stuff to a cloth job?

[starseedling]

Oh, yeah, sure! I just mean you should think about what they'd like for themselves!

[brightspot]

I don't think I've ever really done this before? The... Buying gifts for people. Plus I've only just met everyone, I'm not even sure what's... Appropriate? To give?

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm a little lost on all this too, so you're... Not alone there.

Pretty tempted to buy some things for myself and for my room mate, though... Are you getting anything for yourself at all?

[stillwinningthehardway]

I've done a little bit, but always on a much more limited scale. Hardly anyone even went out to a market, even.

Yeah, there was something that looked good, so why not? How about you?

My friends call me Scout, by the way. You sound new!

[brightspot]

I think I'm gonna. Especially like a laptop or computer, I've gotten so used to having one. Sucks a little bit being without.

Hi, Scout! I'm Five. I think I may have briefly run into you and heard your voice after I first got rescued from the Prince? We both work under Peridot. But it was kinda chaotic then so not a lot of time to get to know one another...

[stillwinningthehardway]

Oh, of course! These seem pretty decent quality, too. You might need to ask to have electrical access in your trailer, though. More... power ports to link your machines to, most trailers only have a couple.

Right, right. [A name like Five from someone who appears to be human makes her suspect cloning. Well, not like Five could help that.] Usually it's a little bit less hectic than that here. A little bit!

[spaghettimonster]

If this is anything like the holiday I know... you should get gifts for friends and family, that you think they'd like! And share in the joy of their smiles and happiness.

Also, decorate some peoples' horns...? [He's unsure about that part.]

And don't give me a broom! Or any other janitorial gadgets, I am set.

[stillwinningthehardway]

It's so hard to tell what they'll like, though! What if you get it wrong?

Even if it was a broom that did something special? Like, um... uh... started... fires?

[...]

...that's a bad example.

[spaghettimonster]

Actually! That might be okay. If I ever rekindle that flame shop notion... I could use a fire-starting broom!

A 'flamesweeper', much more controlled than a flamethrower...

[What were they talking about? He's too busy giggling to himself about the possible fire shop wares.]

[stillwinningthehardway]

It's just the most practical thing! Just think, if you ever wanted to quit your job in the most spectacular way imaginable...

[You can hear she's smiling.]

[spaghettimonster]

Who needs a pink slip... I could go out with a bang! Quitting work with fireworks, and fireplay, and other fire-paraphernalia.

[stillwinningthehardway]

And then get to leave your fireplace? ...I guess when it's fire that's the best time to go, anyway.

[spaghettimonster]

A fireplace is like a guest bed. The fire can go there, if it likes, and it's welcome to! But there's so many other places to go, and I wouldn't want to be a bad host.

[His shop would be a beautiful pile of ashes swept into the shape of his face.]

[stillwinningthehardway]

Right, right. Even if fire eats a lot and kind of redecorates, I mean, usually you do invite it in first, and try to raise it up. Children are like that.

[spaghettimonster]

So that's what parenthood is like...

Wait. I've helped start house fires! Oh my god am I a mom?!

[stillwinningthehardway]

No, you're the father. The fire was made from the substance of the house, so it's the mother.

I mean unless you'd rather be called mother, I don't think fire is very hung up on things like that.

[spaghettimonster]

Oh! Well. I can ask the fire, the next time... Wait.

[Something about what she just said... He scratches his chin for a moment, thinking it through.]

Does that mean, my father was my mother...?

[stillwinningthehardway]

Oh! Well, according to most translation guidelines, yes.

There are so many ways to replicate that the general rule is that the sentient parent who contributes the most substance is called the mother of that specific child, right up until someone from that culture understands enough Basic to insist otherwise. It gets more complicated than that, though, I know.

[spaghettimonster]

Hmm. I should ask Sans about whether...

Hang on a moment! We're still on the public channel. And this is sensitive stuff. Nevermind it, until we can talk face to face.

[stillwinningthehardway]

Oh, maybe another time then! If you don't want to tell me at all, though, I understand. I forgot these things can get touchy.

[spaghettimonster]

Well... It's like with talking about people who are gone. I'd like to. But it's different talking to just you, than to everyone who has their radio on right now.

[Hi, audience. Who knows how many of you are listening right now.]

probably at their trailer

[sunflowerfields]

I don't suppose there's anything there that caught your eye, is there?

[stillwinningthehardway]

Oh! Well, I already got the thing I wanted most. [She pauses.] Though, there are other things, sure!

But I got this for you while I was looking things over.

[She didn't wrap it, it's just in a box with tissue paper: an orange Polaroid camera.]

[sunflowerfields]

I was just thinking, I'm not sure what to use all these credits for, myself, so if there's anything else in particular you'd like, I'd be happy to get it for you.

[She accepts the gift, and she doesn't want to be rude, but the puzzlement is pretty clear on her face.]

Ah!... What is it?

[stillwinningthehardway]

[Scout has to consider. There's a lot she definitely wouldn't care for...] I liked a few of the lighter armor sets, and I was thinking about buying the texting rings. The healing potions are probably going to be needed. And... well, those black coats aren't bad.

Oh, it's a camera! It... here, let me show you.

[She's going to take a picture of Hinawa's face. The paper that prints out is gonna take a minute to develop, but she can talk during it.]

Some people like taking images of their friends and of good things they see. I thought that sounded like something you'd enjoy.

[whattaprick]

Depends what kind of stuff they've got, I guess. Don't suppose they've got anything related to a poison cure?

[stillwinningthehardway]

They have alcohol.

[She knows a little about what goes into his potions.]

[whattaprick]

How strong is it?

[stillwinningthehardway]

"Enough to get a High Fae drunk", apparently. It sounds like there's an implication there that they have incredible alcohol tolerance, but since I don't know if that's at all true, it may mean nothing.

[whattaprick]

Worth looking into, anyway. Get me a bottle -- that counts as a gift, right?

[ Little does he know, apparently, he's soon going to be rolling in them. ]

[stillwinningthehardway]

I'll think about it.

[Translation: she won't do it.]

There are also rings that you can speak to and it transmits this as text to other rings. Would that be useful? Radios are a little clumsy.

[whattaprick]

For nightrunners? Maybe, if everyone had one. The map at the manor was handy.

Strange shouldn't get one, because then that thing wouldn't ever shut up.

[stillwinningthehardway]

It would also be private, except for how other people with the rings would also get the messages. Ugh. It probably depends on how many people got them.

He can borrow Syrlya's.

[whattaprick]

Yeah. Unless you're volunteering to buy all of them.

[ He's kidding! Maybe? ]

[stillwinningthehardway]

I don't have enough credits. It all adds up in a hurry.

[Scout sounds a little affronted. Capitalism is such a hassle.]

[whattaprick]

Guess that's gonna be a pass on that idea, then. Unless we've got some way of making more.

[stillwinningthehardway]

Gambling.

[From her tone she doesn't think that's actually going to go anywhere.]