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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Gods, yeah, that's also a trope back home. A really common one in anything mystery-like involving the Kazoku, probably because it's easy to blame a servant.

[:/] I know the general Eselian version is the psychic stablehand did it, and amongst Yamatan shows in general, it's often the conveniently placed Darkened did it.

[ 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.

[ This is the sort of post that Ken, once upon a time, would have ignored. But Ken is not that person any more, and glad of it. Now he thinks it's interesting. (Upon consideration he realizes it's because she's talking about mysteries. Ken is not much of a fiction person, but he's been reading those on the train and....he likes them. It's a puzzle, in words, where justice is done.)

So he decides to be brave, and reply. ]

I'm Ichijouji Ken. My world contains those stories, as well.

And mine.

[ Quoth the giant green larva in the young boy's arms. ]

[She nods]

Yes, unfortunately class prejudices seem a universal as well. But, intriguingly, that is one more for the column.

[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.

[She nods, in thanks and acknowledgment, writing Ken’s name in the appropriate column. Then, without any show of surprise, she addresses the larva.]

And your name?

Ahahaha! You really did it!

People who make worlds are super unimaginative... I guess. And kinda mean.

[ look it's not like she hasn't thought about whether people are from fictional universes or what have you, you know! there are a lot of coincidences and a lot of very predictable people, okay? but it's probably more likely that fiction echoes reality, right? Like maybe the Void leaks through into dreams?

So really it's the Void's problem--

nope, she's confused herself. ]

And, er, games are good. Just sayin'.

My brother's library contains every book never written. It's pretty even between stories where the butler did it and stories that make a point of the butler not having done it.

[ 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.]

[She nods, listening to that. Which says much and yet not much at all. She gestures at the board.]

So would that be both options, then?

[She thinks about this for a long moment before replying.]

Perhaps the latter, yes. But I have seen the carapaces of kilometer-long space wasps made into space-faring mining ships, so I do not think I can agree with the former - that being one example, really.

It could just be that there are predictable patterns of wealth and privilege, which leads to the natural sort of constructed scenarios. But I am merely speculating, of course. I'd have to survey thousands of universes to make that even an educated guess.

And I believe what you say about games is true - but the train does not seem terribly specific on what kind it has in mind.

[She smiles]

Well, of course. It was a curiosity unanswered.

[Conan has been summoned by mention of mysteries.]

It exists in my world as well. If you're interested, I bought a lot of mysteries from the train shop and left them in the library was done with them. Its interesting reading the variety of mysteries that were provided.

[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.

Call it a commentary on the trope.

[She pauses]

I suspect a lot of the people who dreamed the second version were butlers.

I'm Wormmon.

[ Says Wormmon. Ken smiles, then thinks of something. ]

Ah, but our worlds are linked. So they might not count as fully separate.

You know, people never hear the second part of that old saying.

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

Yeah. It sucks and I'm starting to think there's just some universal constants. Yet... there's not really much that can be done against classism, unlike the prejudices Darkened face. That can be changed.

Yeah, I've definitely heard of that. It's always the butler, or the maid. Or they reference the trope, just to catch you up and make it be someone else.

[He didn't read a lot of mystery novels, but he knows a little bit about how that worked.]

If you don't want the orange team killing you, you miiiight want to vote for the labs. We're kind of in need of the space, since we've just been using the quiet cars.

[ 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.]

[She nods]

So your name would be...? [She gestures at the board with the marker in her hand.]

And all the more reason not to - if they are resorting to base threats...

[She's not that literal these days, but it still crops up when it comes to idioms and euphemisms sometimes.]

[Well that's new.]

The what?

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[Video] Clearly the most important thing right now.

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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

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