uncomfortable questions + action

[takeabow]

Who: Nova + U
Broadcast: Video
Action: On SS First Breath or planetside
When: now

[ a video pops up. Nova is looking mmmmore rested than she has in previous videos, but thoughtful and slightly distant ]

I have a weird question... have you ever met someone in one of these places who's supposed to be dead? Or... I guess, are you? How do you know?

[ she's also available to be found just outside of town on the dusty moon, or back on her ship later ]

Comments

video.

[truthvalue]

[Welllll it's a little uncomfortable to talk about, but Souji likes talking to her, and they are shipmates, as it turns out. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to talk about this.]

Hmm ... sort of? A while back, I was in a city called Melasurei. It was located between Heaven and Hell, and a lot of people there were dead. Or supposed to be.

[He shrugs, stirring at something in a large pot on the stove.]

[takeabow]

It sounds like it's more common than it really should be.

[ ...what is he cooking and how does it look, because she may not be a hermit for long ]

[truthvalue]

[He nods, a faint rueful smile tugging the side of his mouth up.]

You'd think it wouldn't be common at all. It shouldn't be, I guess.

[Stew is what's on the stove, and it looks pretty good, considering what he has to work with.]

[takeabow]

Yeah... it's just weird.

What are you making?

[truthvalue]

Mulligan stew right now, and croquettes in a little bit, once the stew simmers a bit more.

[He picks up two jars of spices and carefully regards them, trying to decide which one will work best.]

I could use a second opinion on how this tastes, if you're interested.

[video -> action]

[takeabow]

I was going to ask, anyway. Be right there.

[ wanders into the kitchen ]

Well, it smells good, anyway.

[action]

[truthvalue]

Thanks.

[He nods, smiling, as she enters.]

Grab a spoon. I think this could use more garlic powder but I don't want to overdo it.

[takeabow]

[ grabs a spoon and dips in to taste ]

I'm not going to be much help. I just like food.

[truthvalue]

I'm glad to hear that. A lot of girls I've met don't seem to enjoy food much.

[Too busy being concerned about whether eating is going to make them put on weight. Souji shrugs.]

How is it?

[takeabow]

Put them on starvation rations, see how long they don't like it.

[ it... might have been an attempt at a joke? ]

It's edible. Good, even.

[truthvalue]

Mm, some of them would probably be fine with that, if it meant they'd lose some weight.

[He smiles at the almost-joke of it, but it's subdued. He remembers what she told him of what her world is like.]

Good. More garlic, or no?

[takeabow]

That's ridiculous.

[ and that's all she'll say about that ]

More garlic couldn't hurt.

[truthvalue]

[He nods, silent - it is ridiculous. He's never quite been able to wrap his head around that. Food is awesome.]

More garlic. [So he opens the jar and dumps in a liberal amount of the whitish powder, stirring as he goes.] Is garlic enough, or do you think it could use something else?

[takeabow]

I really don't have a good idea for this sort of thing. I think it's fine.

[truthvalue]

That's all right. All you need is an idea of what you like.

[takeabow]

Well, then it's perfect.

[truthvalue]

[That brings something like a grin to his face as he continues stirring.]

If that's your answer every time, I may have to enlist you as my official taste-tester.

[takeabow]

Don't think I'll always go easy on you.

[truthvalue]

[OK, that's definitely a grin now.]

I'd certainly hope not. If I made something terrible, I'd definitely want to know.

[takeabow]

I'm kind of bad at hiding my face. You'd know.

[truthvalue]

Then you should definitely taste test everything.

[A quick nod, then he sobers a little, turning his attention back to stirring.]

Did you hear back from a lot of people? About your question, I mean.

[takeabow]

A few. I kind of... I don't know. I was stupid and didn't realize that it would be that serious, I guess.

[truthvalue]

[Death is a serious topic; Souji frowns as he stares into the pot.]

It's all right. Don't be so hard on yourself. It's easy to make mistakes, and something like this should be fairly easy to fix, too.

[takeabow]

I don't know if there's anything to fix, really.

[truthvalue]

I just meant that if there are people who were upset by your question, it shouldn't be too difficult to smooth over with an apology. If they're reasonable people, anyway.

[He turns down the heat under the stew and covers it with a lid, then turns his attention to assembling ingredients on the counter.]

If they're not reasonable, there's really nothing you can do.