crankycave | [mingle post!]

Um, thank you, that is, very nice of you, to say that, and, I don't mind, that you brought it up, since, you were clearly, just making, conversation, and I am, sometimes, not very good at that, which is, not your fault.

In theory I should be better at making conversation than this, though.

Let's start over, shall we? So you said you're doing okay since the party?

Um, pretty much, yeah, I was worried, at first, but I don't think, I've really caused problems, for the people here, who are important to me, so, that's good, um.

Uh, this is probably, the part where, I ask you, if you are also, doing okay?

[she rubs the back of her head awkwardly] I guess I'm okay. People seem to still be talking to me and nobody's tried to kill me, so I guess that's a net victory.

What do you do for leave--I mean, um, leisure activities around here? I'm finding it hard to know what to do besides practice magic.

Doing magic sounds, pretty cool, though.

Um, I like to, play Fiduspawn, which, is sort of complicated, but I could show you, since, I don't really, have anyone here, to play it with, since, Gamzee can't really, pay attention, for that long, and Karkat, doesn't have, any patience.

[she avoids the obvious pun and sticks to the nice, non-traumatic uses because traumatizing Tavros is not a fun game] Magic can be pretty cool, but it's also tiring. It does beat waiting for wounds to heal naturally, though.

I think I would like to learn, if you don't mind teaching me. Is it played on a board?

[someone who wants to play with you! yay! you haven't had a chance to play Fiduspawn since before Sgrub started. you'd hate to get out of practice.]

It is played, with cards, and also with, these Oogonibombs, which, I should clarify, since you are a soldier, are not real bombs at all, they are more like, eggs, that have, your starting fiduspawn, in them.

[you are pulling cards and capsules out of your ~~inventory~~ sylladex and dividing them up]

For now, uh, you can start, with these, and we can play, a starter game, where, I will talk you, through the rules.

[She was expecting something like chess, but this looks potentially more interesting and less rigid.] I see. So the fiduspawn are like creatures that you use? What are the cards for?

[Tavros looks really excited and that's good. She has done more than enough accidental terrorizing.]

The cards determine, what kind of bonuses, you can give, to your creatures, once you have them, um, actually, do you have, summoning, where you are from?

....I think so, if we mean it the same way. We have Magicite, which is what's left of a powerful magical creature when it passes away; you can use some of your own strength to recreate that creature in a very short term, usually for battle.

That sounds, really exciting, and like, it must make for, some impressive battles.

But, uh, you can think of this as, kind of the same thing, except smaller, and just for fun, instead of a real fight. Here, uh, I will start the game.

[the two of you then proceed to play one of the nerdiest games in all of paradox space.]

It's impressive, alright.

[game! this is interesting. and challenging!]

That was fun. Thank you, Tavros.

I am really glad, that you enjoyed it. I have missed, having chances to play.

If you want to, you can keep those cards, and your fiduspawn, from this game, and they can be a start, for your own deck.

I would be pleased to play with you again. Are you sure you don't need these back?

[This...is probably the first time someone has offered her something that is not practical or deadly or both. She is unsure how one handles such gifts, besides with great care.]

I would like you, to have them.

[this is a good friendship gesture, isn't it? you are pretty sure]

If your fiduspawn, get along, perhaps they will even breed, and next time, you could surprise me, with what kinds you have.

Thank you.

[on consideration, that's sort of alarming. They're pets?]

How will I know if they get along? ....Do I have to feed them?

They, uh, mostly take care of themselves, if you put them back, in your sylladex, when you're not playing with them.

[you spend so much time leaning on the FOURTH WALL that it doesn't even occur to you that GAMING ABSTRACTIONS might in fact be ABSTRACT for other people.]

[there are words here. They probably have meanings.]

Er...what is a sylladex?

Uh...where you keep, your inventory?

[she blinks]

[she gestures to the fairly sizable backpack, not unlike earth-type army packs, that she carries]

You mean this?

Okay, sometimes, it helps, to not think about it very closely, especially, if you don't customize, your modus, or anything.

Try just, putting the cards away, without thinking about where you're carrying them.

.....uh...

[she tries, and gets them in her backpack, but they are definitely a pack of cards in her backpack. She takes them back out again and stares at them for a while, and then deliberately focuses her thoughts on the process of learning a complicated spell while she tucks them away. They disappear but she knows exactly where to find them.]

....That is amazing.

[she wishes she could teach Tavros something as useful and interesting as this. Does this mean she gets to stop dragging the army pack around? ...Soldier, that sounds suspiciously like complaining. Stow that nonsense immediately.]

Just like that, and, with practice, you can learn, to organize it in different ways, even though, I think, a lot of the time, that is more for showing off, than because it is helpful.

[she smiles, and it feels strange on her face, when it's not meant to intimidate or to hide her actual feelings. It seems making friends might be worth the trouble after all.]

[a bit wryly] You realize that now you've told me that I will spend untold hours figuring out how to organize it. But that's okay.

[she stands up from where she's been sitting to play the game, and stretches all the sore muscles out. she is really desperately out of shape. Funny what a year asleep will do for you.]

...I wish I knew where to find magicite here. I'd like to give you something back, for all the nice things you've done.

Magicite? That is, you said, what you use, for summoning creatures?

[you are making the most WOBBLY EYES you ever have in your life. you don't even realize you're doing it]

That would be, really amazing, if you could, do that. Maybe, uh, the dwarves would know, where to find some, or who could help you?

(no subject)

ice_and_steel - 2012-03-04 05:38 (UTC) - Expand