video, un:charon

[notimeforfailure]

Good evening, all. I think this is what is termed a 'bandwagon.' However, as I imagine we will all be busy dead, dying, or in the process of resurrecting soon, I thought I had better commit before October.

I'm opening a bakery and sweets shop.

[Lysithea pans the camera to a table that is covered with pans filled with dozens of buns, cakes, and confections of different colors. It really looks extremely well done. One would imagine that Lysithea applies herself with the same intensity to any task she undertakes.]

Everything will be sourced from traditional Fódlan desserts, passed down through family histories and collected by hand in this book. I've realized that if I'm not the one who makes these treats, I'm... never going to taste them again. So I thought I should share.

[The view changes to an enormous tome currently open to a page titled Saghert and Cream in script prominently displaying a luscious picture of some kind of fruit and cream concoction. It really looks like this was drawn by hand.]

I'm baking from my room for now. If you want anything here, you can drop by or I'll bring it over. If you want delivery, you've got to get at least a dozen, because frankly, I'm not running all over town to give you one sweet bun. I'll open a proper location when it's not Death Month.

...Thanks.

[She signs off after a moment's awkward hesitation, as if she's not sure what to do next.]

[video pt 2, ten minutes later]

It's -- me again. Upon further reflection, I have no idea how to run a business, at all, apart from the portion where you confidently declare it in public.

I would... appreciate advice.

And help. If you are willing to be paid in cake.

Comments

Video | UN: ClickClickBloom

[onekindsoul]

[Don't mind Ruby. She hasn't said anything yet. But she's here and on video.

Just drooling a the mention of a bakery/sweets shop.

Have fun with that.]

[notimeforfailure]

R-Ruby...?

Are you -- Are you alright? what's happening are you having a medical event

video; un: shouto

[swellter]

I don't know how to run a business, but I'd be interested in buying a dozen of what you make. I can pick them up.

[notimeforfailure]

[her first customer!
this is very important

Lysithea puts on her most business-like expression, which is indiscernible from her normal overly serious expression and steps over to her presentation table.]

Certainly.

Would you like a mix or do you have a preferred flavor? These are all sweet buns over here - sweet bean, currant, honey drizzle. Fruit jams are to the right, there's berry, cherry, and noa fruit. The ones in the middle are sweet cream and chocolate.

The little cakes are lemon, those are egg tarts and fruit tarts, and that last pan is my attempt at sticky cinnamon rolls.

Everything is the same price except the sweet cream and chocolate. Dairy and chocolate aren't easy to find in Trench, so I have to charge a bit extra.

video; un: Albus Dumbledore

[chambermusicandtenpins]

A sweets shop sounds like a delightful idea. I admittedly have quite the sweet tooth, so I would be more than happy to place an order.

I do not have much in the way of advice, however. I've never worked in a business setting.

[notimeforfailure]

By all means.

[Lysithea turns to the table of baked goods and gives the same spiel she had given her previous customer: sweet bean, currant, honey sweet buns, buns with cherry, berry, and noa fruit jam, filled buns with chocolate and cream, lemon cake, egg tart, fruit tart, and cinnamon rolls.]

I'd like to make an attempt at candies at some point, but I've never done it before.

What will your preference be?

video; un: misterhatter

[payingfordeliverance]

[Suddenly, a blurry black image and a whole lot of snoofsnoofsnoofsnoofsnoof sounds, which solidifies after a moment into glowing white eyes peering down at the omni over an extremely long snoot. Then, offscreen:]

Ehhhhh, is that Miss Lysithea? Goodness. If this 'network' business is going to tell me who I can get sweets from perhaps it will be worth paying attention to after all.

["Mroh," answers the omen cheerfully. Then the snuffling resumes, and the omni is subsequently knocked off of Break's bedspread and down onto the rug. His grumbling can be heard, muffled. It seems that someone has finally bothered to show the Victorian what the network is.]

[notimeforfailure]

Ack!

[no! the man who found out her... secret sh...
ok well obviously this isn't that impactful anymore given she's announced her intentions to all the world to see, but it's still somehow embarrassing.]

Hello there, Balthus. And Mister Xerxes.

I've... made a decision about how I'd like to spend my time here.

[...it sounds like she's confessing to something sordid, somehow]

video | un: P.G. (1/2)

[possessum]

( It... shouldn't take long to sort out who this is on the other end of the video feed, given that when he turns it on, he's just staring widely into it with big dark eyes, very close up, and very intently.

This carries on for a few long minutes, before he becomes Overwhelmed, shudders a little, and the feed..... abruptly ends. )

(2/2)

[possessum]

( ...Only to start back up again a few minutes later. This time, he's not so close up, though he's still staring as intently. He has gathered himself, somewhat. Processed this.

Lysithea, the mage who once gave him a very delicious cake as an offering, is now.... offering more cakes. Baking them herself, even. And a certain demon with a very strong sweet tooth for chocolate........ is highly intrigued. It's something of a dream come true. )

I.... will assist you. I.... will then be given cake.

( .....He sounds very solemn about it. This is important. )

Video | UN: YOURFRIENDSCORPIA

[cuddlery]

[There's now the image of a scorpion woman who seems to be starry-eyed at the whole display.]

Wow. ...Wow, that's gotta be one of the best things I've ever seen...

I'll take it all!! [A beat.] Or, or just a bunch. That's more reasonable!

[notimeforfailure]

A-All...

[Lysithea pauses. The sight of a scorpion woman is frankly no longer surprising to her (though her mind momentarily wanders to the thought of 'beasts.')]

If you would like your own separate, bulk order, I can make arrangements for it one of these weeks. When I've more free time.

Are you certain? You haven't even tried anything.

video; un: wulala

[royalfling]

[ Oh, wow. Oh wow. Wu is a little emotional. A lot emotional. Was this because of him? Because of what he said? Did he influence Lysithea of all people, who's so sure of herself? So sure of her path?

Well, no need to rub it in, Wu. He's just excited for her! ]

Lysithea! This is amazing. I'll buy twenty of your cakes!

I don't know much about running a business, but do you know who does? Asami! You could ask her for advice, she ran the most successful company in Republic City.

[notimeforfailure]

H-Hello, Wu.

[Besides the single small catch in her voice, Lysithea makes an attempt not to betray any particular emotion. It's somehow very embarrassing to be earnest. All the more so when Wu knows exactly how this came about.]

Asami is a friend from your world? I don't think I've had the pleasure of speaking with her yet. Was she a part of the whole 'Team Avatar' thing?

And -- did you say twenty?

I should caution that they probably won't taste very good after a week, even cooled. Not that it's any of my business how many you eat. But just in case it's relevant.

video | un: dawnknight

[searingwing]

[He shuffles the papers he was working on and sets his pen down.]

I have experience running a business. A bar is different from a bakery but, what I know could possibly be of use. Ask what you'd like to know and I'll advise you as much as I'm able.

[notimeforfailure]

Any insight would be much appreciated, thank you.

[Lysithea pauses.]

If you don't mind, I'd like to take a moment or two to gather my thoughts. I'll send them your way when I have them organized.

Before I do, might I hear more about your business?

video; un: rosestorm

[thunderingcourage]

I was thinking about doing something similar too, but with a flower shop attached as well. I have a few good spots picked out and would be glad to help you if you wanted.

[notimeforfailure]

A flower shop bakery?

[Lysithea echoes with a faint hint of surprise.]

That's a generous offer, thank you. But I certainly wouldn't want to impinge on any particularly desirable locations you've scouted.

When you say 'help', what is it you have in mind?

video; un: idoloflove

[loveandduty]

I wish I could help in opening a business, but I never got around to doing that myself last time.

[Give her time and that will eventually happen... Maybe. Hopefully.]

Maybe we can figure that type of thing out together even if they are in different fields completely.

[notimeforfailure]

Last time?

[A faint pause.]

Oh, yes -- of course, you mean in Deerington. I do remember you from deerfeed. [She couldn't remember if they had actually interacted in the past, but...] What is it you're thinking of?

[imaglyphwitch]

This sounds like a great idea! I'll ask the boys and see if they want to order anything!

How are you getting all the stuff for it, like sugar and flour and shortening, anyway?

[notimeforfailure]

Hello, Luz. That would be a great help, thank you.

[After a moment's pause, Lysithea gives a slight nod. For a close friend, she didn't need to conceal anything.]

...I traded my clothes.

[Lysithea didn't do things halfway. Her trunk of finely woven and superior quality clothing that had come with her was half empty now. If she was starting a business, then... she had to make some sacrifices.]

When I went to the docks, they said the shipments were already spoken for. I had to convince them I could offer something of equal value. Thankfully, my clothing adheres to the preferred fashions of Trench.

video; un: ushiromiya

[entreats]

[ .. only Lysithea could start with a sentence like that, only to start about a sweets shop as the very next thing in her speech, Ange thinks. ]

A remark about impulse control might be appropriate here, I think.

[ It's nothing more than a gentle tease though, since that second tacked on part truly is that funny to her. ]

I guess my main advice would be to not do it all alone? It seems like an awful lot of work to both make sweets and run the business. Maybe someone is interested in helping you out.

[notimeforfailure]

It's not an impulse if I thought up the speech carefully.

[huff huff]

It's just all the rest afterwards that needs to be adjusted. ...It's not as if there's a business curriculum in this city. Who even knows how to run a business in a place without money?

But... you're probably right. I just hate to ask anyone for help so soon.

text; un: lowell

[vibing]

[ Sweets... Yuri can sense a fellow sweet tooth here. ]

ill buy some
do you take rocks

[notimeforfailure]

[Lysithea does not know that name, but who is she to turn down a sale?]

Yes.

Depends on the type of rock. Please don't hand me pebbles you find on the street.

video; un:mako

[arclightning]

[ This is... such a good pivot for Lysithea, and Mako weirdly can't stop smiling about it. First of all, everything looks impeccable, and second of all, Mako also has very little idea how to run a business but there are some basics, at least. ]

Keep a record of what you pay for your raw ingredients, factor in what you spent in time making everything, and then make sure you're charging enough to cover that and make a little money for yourself. That's... pretty much it. If you need help with the accounting, I'm pretty good with numbers.

How long did all that take?

[notimeforfailure]

[stop smiling so much it makes her nervous]

That's all very sensible, thank you.

I realized while I was trying to think of pricing that they don't use coins here, which perpetually confuses me. I think accounting won't be an issue in that regards. I just have to... ask for desirable goods and favors to trade.

Or rocks. Someone has offered me rocks.

It took basically all day. Thankfully, I had two ovens available or it would have taken twice the time. You do have to be clever about the right amount of heat.