voice; to all (horseshoe 17)

[blitzcheer]

Hey - 'sup everyone. What do you all think if we set up a mini-kitchen in the luggage room? Nothing too fancy - just so we can make sandwiches and get more drinks down this side of the train instead of going all the way to the big kitchen?

[ He hasn't been in his room a lot and feelin' the curse of being too low-energy to go to the kitchen, no siree. ]

I'm thinking...we'd need a counter, plug sockets - I think there's some in there? So...just get an adaptor? -bread, a toaster, cupboards. Some of the cutlery. Just something in the corner soon as you go in. And some snacks.

I don't mind spending points for it. But there anyone who thinks they can make the.,.cupboards? What else would be good?

Comments

[adregem]

The one thing I need isn't being sold on the shop, I'm afraid. Heh. Thanks, though.

[ And boy did he learn that lesson the hard way. At least the rest of those cosmetics went to someone who actually uses them, so it wasn't at all a waste!

Except for the foundation. The foundation, he's keeping. You never know when you need to cover up those undereye circles for a good first impression. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Welll, if Roland's sure. He hums a bit, and then it takes a second for him to roll back and think on what Roland said before. ]

Well, I dunno if there's anything else important right now. Kaiba was talking about stuff to help keep record of everything that happens on the train.

[ A beat. ] What do you think?

[adregem]

Hey now. Jam's pretty important. Heh.

[ But at that mention, Roland grows serious once more, humming quietly. ]

Officially?

[ If this were video, Roland would have an eyebrow quirked up at Tidus, knowing full well his own implications. ]

[blitzcheer]

Like council officially? [ This voice chat does mean he can't just shrug. But then again, shrugging would mean sitting up in bed. ] Beats me. A third of the council disappeared, that's all I know about them.

Have they been saying anything?

[adregem]

Disappear they did. It was jarring, to say the least. [ Disappearances when names were in gold was one thing, but none of them expected evacs mid-mission. ] If you ask me though, it wouldn't be so bad to have a running report on the current Voidtrecker narrative. It'll help get more minds onboard so we know what to expect in the future. [ If you think he stopped being paranoid after what he say, that's a giant no. He's just quieter about it, now. ]

And no. I haven't heard a thing from...anyone. [ The void ministry. The train. Nothing. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ There was a depressive air over the train - or maybe that was his own mood he was feeling. ]

Well.. they're probably deciding what to do. [ A beat. ] Think they'll do those elections again?

[adregem]

[ You don't have to tell Roland about that. It was a heavy mist over them all...maybe a bit more pronounced than usual. ]

That's the most logical step. But...[ And this is a big, big but because he's a president and he's had nothing but respect for due process. Never let anyone say otherwise. ] ...they can't always have elections when people leave. We don't know when they go, or what makes their names turn gold. It's not impossible that one day, everyone in the council might disappear on the same platform stopover. [ He's stoic about it, only because it's contingency planning. Looking at ways on how to make things better. ] Hm. It's tricky.

[blitzcheer]

[ It's tricky, is it? Tidus wonders, quiet for a second or so. Really, when it comes down to it... ]

Just don't do them. Get some volunteers and do whatever that way. Wouldn't it be easier? I dunno, I never got the votin' process for the train even after I got to do it. It was just a...lot, in the end.

[ A lot of talking and people saying basically the same thing. Everyone saying they'd do a good job at this or that. ]

[adregem]

Welcome to politics 101, Tidus. What you just went through, and what we routinely try to implement on the train, is what one would call campaigning for votes, in my world. [ But it only really works because of certain standards and practices, and besides, what was being the leader of a superpower versus being stuck as kidnapped folks on a train...? ]

We can't abolish structure altogether. At the end of the day, we have to return to what made the council come together in the first place. Why did the early Voidtreckers see the need for one? I think if we can remember that, it'll be our compass north.

[blitzcheer]

[ blah blah blah blah blah wow look at this brain power Roland is asking for that Tidus doesn't have to engage with this! ]

Well, I'm just saying you can't do it without the fuss. But whatever, I'm not arguing. I've talked about it enough times.

[ Or so it feels!! ]

I'll grab some spoons and knives later. [ Oh. ] Or you wanna count how many we got first before I do.

[ He may be sounding 0.5% sassy. ]

[adregem]

[ Roland makes a noncommittal sound, letting the topic pass. They've spoken about this more times than he can remember too, but at the end of the day, it was going to take the whole train to figure out how that system will run now that such an upheaval has come to pass. ]

[ He shifts immediately, his jab back typically wry. ]

Very funny. [ Roland can do with some sass!! ] And bold of you to assume I haven't counted all 393 utensils already.

[ ...He's definitely joking. Surprise of the century: he did not at all count utensils but multiplied the count of each sleeper and subtracted empty cabins. Roland is unsure if Tidus will notice the bluff, but he finds it funny anyway. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ ....


....


.... ] ....Why....?

[ -would you do this
-are you like this
-are you doing this to me

How can one guy sound so old and defeated?? By knowing Roland Crane. ]

[adregem]

[ Roland keeps him young. Or vice versa. Depends on what day it is. ]

I don't have any new hobbies yet.

[ HOW LONG CAN HE KEEP THIS GOING? Stay tuned. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Flatly: ] I gave you videogames.

[ Also flatly: ] Go and throw a ball.

[ You disgusting heathen. ]

[adregem]

[ A rally is it? ]

I tried video games again but the games aren't exactly my taste, and nobody was around to play with anyway.

[ A shrug. ]

Throwing a ball without a second guy to catch it gets old real fast.

[ It's true! None of that is actually a lie! He's trying at least! Honest! ]

...Cooking is something I've got no talent for. I've been experimenting with the meat but it's turning out disgusting every time. [ And that's WITH a recipe. ]

[blitzcheer]

If ball's boring you, you're not playing right. [ sorry2say. But he thinks it as soon as Roland says it, 'cause it's the truth. Especially blitzball! ]

And how can meat turn disgusting? Are you cooking it long enough?

[ Because what other mistake can he be making? ]

1/2

[adregem]

...How do I play ball right if I'm alone?

[ TEACH HIM, PRO. Single game!! ]

[adregem]

[ Roland actually thinks that second part through. He knows he reads the recipe. He reads it incredibly well! ]

I'm pretty sure I do? At least, I go by what the recipes say and what I can see. [ Not that the teddy bear meat is savory to begin with anyway, which adds an extra layer of challenge. ] Haven't succeeded turning our ingredient of the month into something delicious yet, though. It's not a beginner-friendly canned good.

[blitzcheer]

[ Pah.

Did you hear that, Roland? Tidus 'pah'd. How do you play ball right alone...!

And the rest of that too. There's a sound of a sigh. ]

Fiiine, I'll come help you cook, see where you're going wrong. What're you tryna make? Does it matter?

[adregem]

[ He blinks, uncertain if the implication was there or not. ]

Uh, I'm in the Library now. I'm reading one of the cookbooks more closely, so my next attempt is more successful. This dish with rice, and an egg wrapped around it. [ A beat passes. ] I don't want Blue to think I'm...being wasteful.

[ AKA: I had to throw out the last one, hey listen

IT'S A REALLY HARD MEAT TO COOK WITH, GIVE HIM A BREAK ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Huh...? Tidus wonders what that's supposed to be, but he figures he'll see it whenever he sees Roland. ]

Well lemme know when you're going to cook again, and bring the book with you. I'll come and have a go. [ Though, let him ask- ] Is it just the meat? How's your rice coming out?

[adregem]

[ For once, Roland is caught with his pants down and won't even hide that embarrassing hesitation in his voice. ]

[ He clears his throat first. ]

...I don't know how to cook rice. I wait until someone has leftovers, or puts them in the chiller. This cookbook doesn't have a rice recipe so...I'm trying to reverse-engineer it before I go back down again today.

[blitzcheer]

[ Ah-ha, he knew it. Although that wasn't the problem he was aiming for- ]

How about I show you how to prepare rice, then we do the rest the next day, or whenever you wanna do it? That's actually lucky of you, [ he points out. ] Rice is better chilled before you throw it in a pan. It goes all lumpy otherwise.

[ Which was exactly why he asked...! ]

[adregem]

[ WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE KNEW IT -- ]

[ He blinks and looks down at the cookbook in his hand. Tidus may hear some shuffling of pages, back and forth as if the man reading it intently had something to search for. There's nothing in it at all, he's sure of it, it assumes rice is already on hand - !

Roland closes the book, a soft thud against a surface. ]

Thanks. I'd actually really appreciate that. Sorry to take you away from your mini-kitchen duty, though. You sure you don't mind?

[ He'll need to bring his notebook with him to take notes. If it's not in the recipe book he has now, then it might not be in the other ones stacked up by the kitchen. He's doing the train a favor. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ PRESIDENT CAN'T MAKE RIIIIIICE. ]

I'm just laying in bed talking about toaster and fridges. [ There's a shrug in that tone. ] Sure, I can come over. I'll see what else they have in there and grab some stuff while I'm at it.

[ For the mini-kitchen! ]