001 ➛ audio

[squanderlust]

If this magic works the way it was described, somebody should be able to hear me right now. [though the voice of the young lady that's coming through sounds incredibly skeptical about this entire endeavor.] If you can, and you can actually understand me, I want you to tell me whether 8,000 "creds" is a lot of money around here, and what I can do to get it. I can't believe your merchants don't take something as simple as gold for war supplies.

[there's ambient noise for a while, and some confused sounds from somebody who has obviously never seen, much less used, an omni-tool before. eventually she groans in exasperation.]

My sword's been stolen from me and you expect me to do repairs to survive. This is entirely unacceptable.

Comments

[tradecraftdude]

Wait, really? I was like, at least half-joking! Man, so you're like Xena without the leather bikini, huh.

[ The look on his face is thoughtful, as if he's trying to superimpose such an article onto Severa. Not that he's going to say that out loud. Yet. Right? Right.

Instead, he flips open the lid of the box to show off a pizza with some dark, lumpy blobs under the cheese. ]

It's a pizza, duh. Don't think too much about what had to die to make these toppings, though. Just eat it. It's good for you. Practically a vegetable.

[squanderlust]

[nothing he's just said makes any sense to Severa. her face doesn't show the confusion, though; not her style. she just looks full of contempt instead. she crosses her arms defiantly (clearly trying to show that she means business) and doesn't even bother cautiously poking at the "food", such that it must be.]

I don't know what Xena or pizza is. I didn't think it was possible for someone to speak my language and still be so entirely incomprehensible.

[her stomach growls just as defiantly. finally she gives the pizza a second look.]

...It's "good" for me?

[tradecraftdude]

[ Does Marco wither under that gaze? Of course not! Getting frowned at by girls is practically his hobby.

He picks up a slice, folding it in half to contain all the crap sitting on top of it, and shoves it into his mouth. ]

Y'know, like, healthy. Soul-enriching. Belly-stuffing.

[ Little bits of pizza are falling onto the ground as he talks around the mouthful. ]

[squanderlust]

[it looks like... cheese? and some sort of sauce. and dough. this is entirely unorthodox, but, well. she is incredibly hungry. cautiously, and without thinking too much about what she's about to eat, she reaches for a slice herself and mimics Marco's folding motion. through the lips and past the gums, look out, stomach, here it comes.]

This is... [not terrible? she tries to stop her eyes from lighting up, but it's an involuntary reaction. she swallows.] Okay. I guess. It's better than starving. [going in for another bite, she stops herself.] Thanks.

[tradecraftdude]

[ Yep, that's a satisfied grin Marco's got here, and it's not just from how delicious the pizza is. ]

What did I tell you? You think a face this cute would ever lead you astray in culinary recommendations?

[ A face covered in pizza grease, more like. ]

Anyway, what's next on your Omega orientation checklist?

[squanderlust]

Puh-lease. I invented the cute face routine. [to prove it, she smiles as widely as she possibly can and puts a finger to her cheek to emphasize a not-entirely-prominent dimple.]

[after a second or two, her face goes back to its usual semi-neutral expression.] See? Anyway, I didn't have any other plans. [a blatant lie, but she's pretty sure she can handle things like housing and defense.] You weren't trying to take me on a date, were you?

[tradecraftdude]

Whoa, there, that's a dangerous weapon you've got, okay? Don't just flash it everywhere like that!

[ marco shoots a glance back and forth in mock-paranoia. but really. he's gotta keep this one around. ]

Anyway, you wanna go on a date already? We've only just met! Not that I have anything against fast women or whatever, but only if you insist.

[ here, have an innocent smile. ]

[squanderlust]

[while she wants to comment on just how adorable she is, all she ends up doing is rolling her eyes.]

I was joking, gawds. I'm pretty sure I'm way older than you anyway, even if I was looking for a date. [it's only a couple years, but that's still not the point.] Is there even anything to do around here except eat pizza and try to survive?

[tradecraftdude]

Sure, sure. Don't worry. I totally get it. Totally.

[ marco's only joking, too. mostly. ]

Don't underestimate how much fun and enjoyment you can get out of doing nothing more than eat pizza and survive, okay? Because anyone who has enough free time to do anything more than that is probably some sort of space alien.

[ except how most people here are space aliens. ]

[squanderlust]

Ugh. There has to be something else to do. Eating greasy food and pointing "guns" [air quotes] at people sounds like an enormous waste of potential!

[with her sword now missing, probably permanently, she'll need to find some way to keep her body in fighting condition.]

Surely you have some sort of training grounds around here.