Horseshoe, Day 21, Early Morning

[consider8]

[Eight switches on her screen, looking a little dour.]

Hello. I'm in need of a significant amount of paper and bottles. I have a project in mind that requires both.

I saw that there is a printer available, would it be possible for me to use some of it?

I would make the purchase myself, but I used it all for clothing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

[adregem]

[ He nods with heightened attention, returning to look at the wall now imagining how it can turn out. Murals are staples in his world too, and sometimes hold much more meaning than what meets the eye. Roland smiles in quiet approval. ]

That's beautiful. Good for you for taking such an initiative right away. [ Roland then realizes how terrible the timing might be for everyone new on the train; immediately subjected to memories they might not have wanted to confront so candidly. That's the train, for you. ]

Like I said, I'm no artist. But is there any way I can assist you?

[consider8]

[Now it was Eight's turn to be impressed. For a few seconds her eyes just glow and peer curiously at the sudden shift as though she could not believe her own eyes. The silence ends with a glowing smile and a bright "Veemo!"]

That's amazing! Was that magic?

[She was not sure what to make of magic, but the more she saw cool stuff like this the more she started to think that it wasn't too bad.]

[consider8]

[O-Oh... her face was starting to clear, but is starting to turn red again with Roland's next words. She really wasn't that used to being praised, even though her friends would do it often.]

W-Well... I don't want it to be an emergency like... [Like what Tidus made it seem.]

But... mm... I could use an adhesive to keep the paper on the wall.

[consider8]

[Ohh...]

Can you paint?

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita needs to catch her breath, but only momentarily; when it comes to low-entropy wizardries, she's done worse.]

Wizardry, yeah. Just had a word with the component molecules for the mug and bottle both. It's some sort of knock-off of plastic, but it's still pretty pliable...

[Which- may or may not be the sort of explanation Eight was expecting, but there you go.]

But as for the ink - you can just make this stuff, right? The color-changing sure surprised me, though.

[adregem]

[ Roland waits a beat after Eight replies before he begins rolling up his sleeves until the elbow, still looking at the wall. Why not? ]

Heh. Don't worry about that. It was just a Tidus joke. You'll get used to it.

[ When he turns to face Eight again, Roland summons the full stationary set - or at least, the set without the sheets of colored paper - as it appears in thin air, surrounded by a glimmer of gold in his hand. This, he rummages through, one eyebrow quirked up. ]

Looks like I've only got a glue stick in here. Will this work? [ Said item is revealed from the pouch of stationary, offered to Eight right away. ]

[adropofsunlight]

I can. I'm pretty good at it.

[consider8]

[Actually Eight very much appreciated hearing it laid out in so technical terms. Where magic seemed like doing whatever contrary to the forces of physics, hearing it laid out like that was surprisingly helpful. Though how does one talk to the molecules directly and get them to listen...? Mysterious!]

[As for Nita's question, Eight nodded.] Yes. I'm made out of ink. Mostly, anyway. So so long as I'm holding something I can fill it up with myself.

Color changing works kind of the same way, really, only instead of other molecules, I do it with my own body. [So in a way, that was kind of like magic...?]

[consider8]

[Having a little more explanation from Nita, Eight doesn't appear as bothered by magic as she used to. Which was good, because it appeared several people came with unexplained abilities.]

[She frowns a little and shakes her head.] That's not going to be good or strong enough.

[There's a sight.] If I had some ingredients, I could probably make some...

[Sure, it'd be basic, but it would have more lasting factor than a simple glue stick...]

[consider8]

[Eight smiled and with a quick huff scurried to a shelf that seemed to have a small supply of paper band bottled ink.]

Can I see something? [She offers to the young lady.]

[unfavorableinstigation]

Definitely neat.

Though- has all the water we've been using here given you trouble or anything? I'm sure I could work with S'reee to come up with something to make sure you can hold yourself together...

[Did being dissolved in water outright kill whatever Eight was? Not good!]

[consider8]

[It did, and Eight hadn't taken a shower or bath since coming on board. She probably smells a bit like ripe sea life.]

S'reee? [Eight had not met them and wasn't sure who that was referring to.]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita nods.]

She's a friend of mine and sort of my sister, and she's a whale. She needs water all around her to stay alive, whereas you'd need something closer to the reverse...?

[Because yup, that sure is a smell.]

[adropofsunlight]

You want me to paint in person? I can do that just tell me where.

[adregem]

[ He puts it back into the pouch, and poof! There it goes again, into the hammerspace. But Roland listens to Eight trail off, crosses his arms again after she finishes. ]

What kind of ingredients do you need? We can go check the Stores.

[consider8]

[She gives the matter some thought. While do-it-yourselves were a part of Octarian military, they usually had glue on hand...]

Milk... vinegar... sodium bicarbonate... water... something to cook that in, a couple of things to stir it, and something to store it.

[adregem]

[ And here he thought he wouldn't be able to help her at all. Roland nods and starts walking out of the quiet room, glancing behind him expectantly. ]

Let's go make your adhesive, then. It just so happens we've got all of what you need.

[ Roland would know; taking audit of ingredients on a scheduled basis. ]

[consider8]

Veemo! [There were many uncertain things about all of this: the abduction, the gratuitous use of power that seemed to defy logical explanation, the fact that she was the only Octarian...]

[But Roland? Roland felt like a pretty reliable source of support. She was starting to feel that she could trust him with anything.]

[consider8]

[This was a little surprising. She made no mention to her weakness to water and yet someone was able to figure it out--?]

[Well, it was a common thing about Octolings, which wouldn't make it unusual if she wasn't so uncommon.]

[She'll think about that later.]

I try not to get wet. Good thing is it doesn't rain in her that often.

[Because that would be bad.]

[consider8]

I'm in the large quiet room. The big one with all the lab stuff.

I can even provide you with some ink if it'll help.

[unfavorableinstigation]

[To Nita, it's not straightforward in quite that way, but if this person's literally made of ink and not just producing it...]

You got that right.

[She gives a reassuring smile.]

I'll warn you, though, there is a fire-suppression system - but it's only gone off the once since I've arrived, and even then only for one Sleeper car.

[And the person who did it has since left.]

[consider8]

[O-Oh... why... would they do that?]

Mmm... makes sense I guess...

[Not really now she's going to have trouble sleeping tonight...]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita winces sympathetically.]

The person who caused it left a couple of platforms ago, don't worry. And we do have non-water-based fire extinguishers, too.

[adregem]

[ 'Veemo...?'

He tries not to think about it, just rolls with it. Could be an expression of affirmation from her world, and that's just fine with him. He'll walk forward first, leading them decidedly into the Stores where most of the ingredients and supplies are located. It isn't too long of a walk, either. And he spends enough time counting things here that he knows where things are: the sodium bicarb in the dry pantry, milk in the cooler, vinegar by the shelf. Water of course, by the sink. A pot to boil it in, deep and heavy set by a cabinet. All brought out in perfect order. ]

Is this all?

[adropofsunlight]

Okay, that should be easy enough to find at least.

It's fine, I have my own supplies.