voidtreckernet | [Video] Clearly the most important thing right now.

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[Video] Clearly the most important thing right now.

[She waves gently as the feed comes on. Behind her there is a large sheet, divided into three categories: 'Heard of', 'Not heard of', and 'Variance'.]

[Her name and Della's are written, in perfect letters, in the first column.]

So I was reading, earlier in the month and had a conversation with Della. Interestingly, despite our different universal backgrounds, we had both heard the trope 'The Butler Did It' - though the books on the train have, thus far, not revealed why this trope is a thing in either of our universes.

As a result, I am curious: in how many of your universes in this something known as well, and are there any variants? For those unaware, the trope refers to fictive mysteries, specifically, wherein the murder taking place in a manor house is presupposed to have been committed by the butler, or head servant.

[Because it wouldn't be Guri if she didn't break it down.]

Oh, and I am unsure what to vote for in terms of room. Perhaps something for the arts? Would that not benefit everyone most?

[Later, she adds a text updated:]

My official vote is for 'pool'.

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[ Leaving aside the topic for murder mysteries for a moment, there's something else about this broadcast that draws Alice's attention much more. In fact, it almost makes her feel a little insecure, though she bites her lip before starting the feed, trying to look more confident than she's feeling once she's visible. ]

Are you unsure of what to vote for? I thought it would be an easy choice for you.

[For her part, she just smiles fondly.]

Hello, Alice. And yes, I haven’t decided which would be of the most benefit to everyone.

[A pause]

Though I am fairly certain the answer isn’t clocks. I cannot see the benefit of massed, synchronized ticking.

Or worse yet, asynchronous.

[ It's not too odd, really. With the way Guri is, of course she would think of what's best for everyone. But.. ]

Haven't you considered even for a moment which of those you would want the most?

[ ... ]

You know, regardless of its use for the general community here.

[She tilts her head at that for a moment, then shrugs.]

Maybe a little bit. Of course, the needs of all vastly supersede what I would want, but...

[It's Alice, so she admits this rest freely.]

I don't know if I can make art, but I'd like to try. And maybe dancing...I went, the last time it was an option, but nobody asked me. I think I'd like to learn how to dance. Properly, you know?

[Meaning as a social act, with another person.]

[You know what ICPs are terrible for? Having a private conversation. Does it still count as eavesdropping if it's a public broadcast?]

I, ah, I could teach you, Guri. Even if we don't get a dance train-thing.

[She smiles, nodding her head.]

Oh, figuring out the method is simple enough. I have enough of those dances stored in my memory banks. It is more the...practical side of it. Actual social dancing, in an actual, social situation.

Well, the best way to start is by dancing with an actual, presumably social, person. [His voice is, if anything, gently teasing. He knows she probably knows that.]

[She does.]

Presumably. At least one that is sure I won't step on, and crush, their toes.

[Earnestly:] I'm pretty good at avoiding clumsy feet. And I can always wear my sturdiest boots.

[She nods with a smile]

Well, if you're willing, I will certainly impose.

Great! We'll make a date of it.

[ Well, Alice did think there were people offering to help with dancing on the train, and Devero speaking up does prove that point. Alice is willing to wait until they've discussed that, but she does eventually get back to Guri: ]

.. I actually voted for the pool myself though. [ Because Guri seemed to enjoy swimming so much during that last mission. And so she thought Guri would want that now too, but.. sheesh, seems she really got that wrong, huh. That's what's making her feel so dumb now. You try to do a friend a favour for once, and you somehow still fail!! ]

[She thinks that over for a moment, and then a smile breaks over her face, an exceedingly fond one. Because the logic really wasn't that hard to process.]

Alice! [Said with a little motion of her hands, like she doesn't know what to do with them.] Apparently I was not the only one not thinking about myself?

[Her saying things coyly is a thing to behold, with all the subtlety of a monster truck rally - she might as well use her hands for theatrical asides, really.]

That will be my vote, too, then! And we could go swimming together! Nobody would bother us! Well, assuming it wins.

[Basically, have a delighted Guri. Alice certainly wouldn't have chosen it for herself on the merits, so the reasoning process is fairly straightforward - and it's the nicest thing anybody has ever done for her. And it might show.]

[ DON'T CALL HER OUT ON IT, GURI.

Especially not where everyone can hear it! Look at Alice struggle to swallow embarrassment so she doesn't look like a total idiot by the time she replies. ]

Well, I-- I suppose if the train could provide us with fitting swimwear.. [ Which it probably would if it gave them that carriage, right? Hopefully? Alice is pretty sure she heard people mention the spa has suitable clothing too.. ] Then it might indeed not be such a bad idea to go swimming together, if we were to get that pool car. Especially since we didn't get to do it during our stop over in that other place.

[She nods, enthusiastically. Though she looks like she's struggling not to seek Alice out to hug her immediately.]

That would make perfect sense, yes. And I'd like that. Quite a lot, actually.

Well, let's not get too excited about it.

[ You know, before Alice gets unable to bear Guri's giddiness. Even if it's a good thing to say, there's such a thing as too much of a good thing! Especially when it makes Alice a little embarrassed. ]

There seem quite some people invested in other options on the poll. There is quite a big chance pool might not win, and then you would've gotten excited over nothing.

It's the gesture that matters.

[She stills herself, nodding.]

Whether or not it happens, this moment did. I believe I shall attempt cupcakes for you tonight.

[She nods. And let's just say that Guri's baking tends towards the thesis that you can never include too much chocolate in something.]

[ .. cupcakes..

That actually sounds really good. Even though Alice is really trying to maintain at least some decorum here over these screens. But it's hard when she's presented with the thought of having cupcakes together with a friend. ]

W-Well, if you insist!

[ Not like she wants to.

Really badly.

Or anything. ]

Your cooking has been good, so I am sure the same goes for your baking.

[She nods, a gentle smile on her face]

Tonight then? And I shall hope so, at any rate.

Alright. I will make sure to be there tonight.

[ And Alice lives up to that promise. After all, she wouldn't just say that to Guri and then casually not show up. There's no way she could do that and not feel awful about it.

So, as promised, Alice is sitting in the dining carriage that evening. Perhaps a little after the usual dinnertime, so it's not quite as busy in there - and so she can sit there waiting in the exact space spot she was sitting at when Guri first made her something to eat. ]

[All for the best, really, since it took her more time than usual to get things ready. In part because she had to look at reference material on decoration and try to figure out what it all meant, and what colour of icing went with what could best be described as extra chocolate cupcakes.]

[Many had indicated pink icing, but she hadn’t cared for that. Too gaudy and, in some way she couldn’t quite define but was certain of, just ‘Not Alice.’ She’d gone with a sort of autumnal red instead.]

[She is wearing an apron when she approaches, which paints a picture since the icing apparently put up a bit of a fight. There is even a small unnoticed glob on her hair. But she smiles as she places down the tray, with a dozen cupcakes on it, half for each of them. And she’d used dark sprinkles on the ones for Alice, very precisely placing them to spell out her name.]

[Many of the decorations had done that. Not necessarily that way, but. The incongruity of the sixth cupcake had been solved at the last minute by making a small heart shape, which she understood was fairly common practice.]

Right, I shall fetch some milk.

[ It's so obvious - once more - just how much effort Guri put into this. She almost looks like a warrior returning from battle, but rather than fighting monsters or enemies, she's been fighting baking powder and icing, if that apron is anything to go by.

But that's nothing Alice can comment on. Because she instead looks at the cupcakes, and while those also speak a lot about how hard Guri has worked, there's one other thing Alice can't help but notice.

That heart.

Why the heart.

Surely Guri can't understand its implications, being the way she is, so why is it there!!

That question makes Alice's brain shut down for a moment, only leaving enough brainpower to look up at the other and slowly answer: ] R-Right. I will wait for you to get back before starting.

[That first aspect had a lot to do with the bag of icing and her having no idea about how much force to exert, while at the same time having hands capable of crushing metal.]

[The first icing attempt had been more of an icing asteroid strike, really.]

[As for the rest, well, she has her reasoning - and it doesn't occur to her that it's necessary to explain it beforehand. She had interpreted it to mean affection and care, both of which she knew she felt towards Alice. Beyond that, there had been half a dozen cupcakes and only five letters. Which bothered her.]

[And an exclamation mark seemed foolish.]

[In any event, she came back sans apron and with two glasses of milk, placing one in front of Alice and sitting opposite her with a satisfied nod, icing in her hair and all.]

Here we are, then.

.. here we are indeed.

[ Smooth.

Subtle.

Alice sure feels like a pure master of conversation here, and not just an awkward teenager with a throat that suddenly feels way too tight. Come on, Alice. It's just a few cupcakes. That Guri made just for you. And one has a heart for god knows what reason. Get yourself together. ]

I, ah.. [ UGGGH. Why is it suddenly so hard to talk?! ] Shall we start eating them? It would be a waste to just leave the cupcakes alone now.

[She nodded eagerly, hands folded in her lap. Trying very hard to hide the worry that they might turn out not to be good. Luckily, she's good at a poker face. Though Alice does know her well, at this point.]

Mm-hmm, yes, that was the idea. I'm not sure what your maximum number of cupcakes is, but I encourage you to liberally eat them.

[And she starts to carefully unwrap one of her own, like she's carefully defusing an explosive.]

video;

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Threadjack okay? Will delete if not!

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assuming this is after guri talks with devero so i'm not derailing things, haha

Works!

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video -> action later that day;

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