( video | un: duckling )

[danserai]

[ the feed comes on by itself. ahiru hasn't realized she's turned it on as she's pouring over these pamphlets intently, talking out loud because that's just how she functions. ]

Okay, so to get food, I need to make money. To make money, I need a job . . . What do they have?

[ she looks over the first pamphlet. ]

Healer! That doesn't sound so bad! Something something . . . "mini . . . ministration . . ." Blood? Eugh, no.

[ she tosses that one aside. ]

Next one . . . Hunter.

[ a beat. she stares at it. it stares back at her as if it knows her secret. she immediately scrunches it up, tossing into the trash can because she's not an animal.

( just a bird. that people may hunt?? duck confit is a thing. ) ]

This one! This'll be the one! Arcane scholars . . . "They either wish to consume all the knowledge they can or share all the knowledge that they can." . . .

[ another beat. she sighs. ]

Well, I'm not smart enough to be one of those. Aaaah! I'm never going to get a job! I'm going to starve! I'll never be able to have bread agaaaaain.

[ doom is clearly at hand. ]

Comments

[swornto]

Yeah! Guts! If you want a job and you want it enough, I'll bet you can make it work.

Did one of them stand out to you?

[danserai]

Uhm . . . I think there was one about emotional . . . support?

[swornto]

There you go! That sounds like something that you can do with guts! That's such a kind job to be interested in. You really know what's important, miss~

[danserai]

[ oh. she blushes. ]

I-I mean, helping others is what we all should do.

[swornto]

It is, but only the kindness of us can make a job out of it. You must have been very popular back home.

That type of job sounds safe, too! Have you been settling in okay? This place is pre~tty scary at first, huh?

[danserai]

Ehehe . . . I'm really not but that's okay.

And I'm all right! Everyone's been very kind to me. I don't think I've seen anything too scary yet . . .

[swornto]

Eh~? I find that hard to believe, but I trust your word.

And that's good. I hope that it stays that way. A cute girl like you should be able to live a peaceful life, right? I imagine that those with your job [and he's quite insistent about her having the job she wants already, even if it may not technically be true,] will be in one of the nicer areas here.

1/2

[danserai]

That's true, cute girls should have nice lives.

2/2

[danserai]

I — I mean, actual cute girls! Not me!

[swornto]

[Is he mean to find it cuter when she denies it? Oz can't help but chuckle a bit.]

Oh, do you not have mirrors back home? [slow down, oz. this is not the time or place to flirt with girls.

even if it's all he knows about being a normal teen.]

I forgot to ask your name! Terribly sorry. Mine is Oz, just like the device says~ Nice to meet you!

[danserai]

I don't, actually.

[ her room is less of a room and more of a tiny attic space . . . with little to nothing in it. ]

And I'm Ahiru. Just . . . Ahiru.

[swornto]

Pardon?

[Oh dear. Has he trampled on a sensitive topic? That wasn't his intention.]

What a coincidence. I am also just 'Oz.' And what a lovely name Ahiru is. I'm glad to hear you've settled well here. Though, to address your other concern... Have you managed to get the bread hat you mentioned?

[danserai]

Not, but I've gotten some good ideas? I think they'll work. I mean, I don't know if they'll work but I'll try and see if they work . . .

[swornto]

Well, I was going to say... If you're looking for bread, I'm certain that we have some where I am staying. I'd be more than happy to sneak you some, if that's what you're craving.

Though, I imagine you must want something more than bread. What would your ideal food be?

[Oz thinks that Ahiru was only using bread as a low-bar example of cheap food. Surely she wants something fancier, like a cake or a proper meal.]

[danserai]

Oh, there's no need for sneaking. I'm sure I'll get some soon.

And I don't really have an ideal food, I just like bread?

[swornto]

Ah..?

[It seems like a strange favorite food to Oz, but who is he to judge? Alice loves meat, no matter the quality.]

You're not starving at least, I hope? I really don't mind bringing you some. The goal of food is that it is eaten eventually, so it's not as if it was going to sit here forever.

[danserai]

[ she is certainly a STRANGE girl . . . because she's not a girl at all. ]

I'm definitely not starving! Don't worry!

[swornto]

[He's certainly beginning to catch on to the fact that she's strange, but that's hardly a deterrent. More of a curiosity. It's not like she's Xerxes Break levels of strange.]

I see. Well. I'll trust you on that, Ms Ahiru. I apologize for overstepping.

At least you've settled your job, hm? That's one concern taken care of?

[danserai]

Mmm. I'm going to ask about the emotional support thing.

And then I'm going to give flower crowns in exchange for food and stuff in the shops!

1/2

[swornto]

Flower crowns..?

[Perhaps a normal person might question whether Ahiru can turn flower crowns into currency. For Oz, he only sees a memory of another sweet girl with a braid. Who had been forced into an awful situation and got dropped into the hellish Abyss because of it. She'd tried to give him flowers as part of her job too.

He tries to blink the memory away, steeling his expression so that no sadness can show. Ahiru is a nice girl, he can tell. If she were to notice his distress, she'd trouble herself trying to solve it. The memory has only reinforced his decision to look out for her.]

2/2

[swornto]

That sounds wonderful, Ms Ahiru! Perhaps, if I may be so selfish, I could be your first customer~? If I've anything worth such a trade!

[danserai]

[ she definitely saw that. ahiru is not the smartest girl, but she's incredible empathetic. why had such an idea given him such a pained expression? ]

You can have one for free, it's okay . . . Is everything all right?

[swornto]

[In that regard, she's the kind of person that Oz fears the most: One who can see through his smiles when they're fake. He's never had to learn to guard against them, because few people in his childhood cared to look passed his smile.

He falters when called out.]

Oh, no... I mean, yes, everything is fine. But I could hardly request your hard work for free. It is your job after all and will be worth something in return. [sidestepping the issue as much as possible.]

[danserai]

Jobs aren't really that important.

[ she was just covering her bases. ]

Do you not like flower crowns?

[swornto]

Then your effort is important to me.

[Oh, she's sharp. He would take a moment to point out that Ahiru is clearly very intelligent if she picked up on that.]

I think they're very pretty. I'm sorry. I suppose, I... [This is hard. Oz has to focus on honestly to make it happen. Gilbert may not be here, but he doesn't want to negate his friend's presence by forgetting all they learned together.]

... I didn't truly appreciate the last flower I received. So if you'd let me appreciate your flower crown, I think I'd feel better? [...] Is that strange?