two, two, two posts in one; 4/6

[wearingguess]

[ hey, it's a prismagram post from 1stQadrMargaFan! you know, that one c-plus/b-minus-list influencer who's always posting magic tutorials, fashion selfies, food pics, and random animal encounters. (well, not so much recently, but... yeah.) ]

Hello, First Qadr!!
Thank you all so much for your comments and messages over the past couple of weeks. I can't believe I went three entire days without responding to anything! 😳 But I always read everything you send me, and I will try to answer you all as soon as I can. 🧡🧡🧡

But now I must make an important announcement!
✨ Starting today, this account will be going on indefinite hiatus ✨
I will keep comments open, but I won't be posting any more pictures or videos. This is just a personal issue and there's no need for anyone to worry! 🦋😸🍇
I want to say thank you again. Your support over the past several months has meant more than I can possibly express!! You're all breathtaking, with and without your Moonheld and Moonblessed traits! Let's all keep doing the very best we can to look out for one another! 👋🥰

[ a few minutes later, there's another post, from another account: laurea. this one's video. long antennae and parts of the colorful underside of a pair of butterfly wings are visible on the subject (who doesn't appear particularly jazzed about them). ]

Hello.
Ah... this message is primarily for my fellow Moonblessed. For those who don't know me, I am Titus Alexius.
I have been thinking about this quite a bit lately, and... I think that we ought to, if possible... that is, to the extent that it is possible...

[ deep breath! ]

I think we should stop moonlacing.

[ and now the hurried qualifiers. ]

We need to do a little, of course, to survive. Obviously we should all feel free to do that amount. But beyond that minimum, we should most likely refrain.

[ he hunches his shoulders and looks down!! ]

This will certainly be a great sacrifice... and terribly difficult, especially during the moon cycles... and no doubt quite unpleasant in many ways as well. For some of us more than others. But while the effects of chroma generation initially seemed exclusively beneficial, with the very worst of them still being harmless, it is now more than clear that there are others that are neither predictable nor safe.

[ now he shuts his eyes. ]
...All of Port Sylvel paid the price for that. And many perished in the subsequent battle as well. We cannot bring them back, but we owe it to them not to let it happen again.

[ another deep breath. then he opens his eyes and looks back into the camera. ]

At least that is what I think.
I would like to know what all of you think.


[ there's a slightly awkward pause!! ]

...On that note, I am also looking for work.
I am willing to do anything, though... physically demanding work is probably best avoided, unless you don't mind its being accomplished poorly and only after a likely unreasonable length of time.
Nothing that requires moonlacing, either, though I suppose that much is obvious.

...
And that is all. Thank you!

Comments

[audio | @hot.damn]

[circumitus]

Have gone through what they call "Chroma-starved" enough to doubt that people are going to be gung-ho for that idea.

[Much like she's seeing already. Rey was never wild on the idea of Moonlacing, and she still isn't, struggling with the whole concept of being touched by others since long before she ever came here. But even then...]

And isn't this entire damned planet fueled on Chroma? Wouldn't stopping the generation of the energy supply these people need be just as damaging?

[wearingguess]

Indeed, people are not gung-ho for it.

What I think is that... this world does need some level of chroma, and we, of course, need some level of moonlacing. But it seems as though we may be producing too much chroma, and that is why the results are destructive. The gentleman going by "whatever" above likened it more or less to the difference between rain that waters the crops, and rain that destroys the town in a flood. So... if we can limit what we generate to the amount that we need to live decently... then that will also be enough to keep this world going.

Maybe.

[circumitus]

[sigh]

The problem with being able to produce an abundance of resources is that there are those, oftentimes hostiles, who would benefit just as much from those resources if they took it by force. That doesn't mean we can just stop production on something that keeps people living.

Not that my opinion matters, either way. Already seek out only enough Chroma to stay standing as it is, maybe eat every few days.

[Unless she just steals food from someone else like the goddamn barbarian she is.]

[wearingguess]

[ girl!!! ]

Why are you eating so infrequently?! You must get hungry more often than that!

[circumitus]

Not really.

[wait]

...

Well. Do feel hunger, but don't necessarily need to eat much to survive like humans -- or most living things -- do. It's fine. [Is it, though?]

[wearingguess]

[ look he could definitely go on about the chroma thing but this is a more immediate concern!! ]

Never mind about "necessarily"! You should be able to eat when you are hungry!
Do you need money? I fear I have been somewhat careless with my funds until now, so my savings, such as they are, are probably quite meager, but you can use what's there. Ah, and I am friendly with many of the owners of local restaurants, so I am sure I can see about discounts and things...

[circumitus]

[Honestly, Rey, what were you expecting? She balks at his immediate shift to what appears to be concern.]

What-- No, don't want your money! Am just... frugal with our "income" here. Have managed to scrape by so far whenever there's been a need to eat.

[Pause.] Wouldn't say no to discounts, though.

[Turns out she's a penny pincher at heart.]

[wearingguess]

If your income only allows you to "scrape by" when there's a "need" to eat, is it not insufficient?? There is no shortage of food here, so it is unacceptable that anyone should go hungry!

I cannot really understand why you wouldn't want money, but in that case what about paying work? Wind Master Shi Qingxuan and Roderich Edelstein were both kind enough to offer me employment, but I could ask that they hire you instead...

[circumitus]

It's fine. Am used to living without that many luxuries. [LE SHRUG. Not that he can see that over audio.]

...

Guess it'd depend on the kind of work.

[wearingguess]

You cannot possibly consider it a luxury to eat when you are hungry, can you? There is absolutely no reason to limit yourself to the bare minimum for survival.

Wind Master Shi Qingxuan indicated that the job consists mainly of being friendly and pouring drinks. The shop is small and specializes in wine but also serves small bites. Roderich Edelstein owns a sandwich shop with limited hours that may be extended... he mentioned that the job would involve offering samples to passersby... but I must assume there would be a bit more than that to it at some point.

[circumitus]

Never been that big of a deal, really. Am used to it. Not like there's anywhere to store groceries, either.

[Rey, you are not making your case any better by declaring you're a wandering hobo.]

None of those places require wearing fetishy costumes, do they? Because, er, tried that once and it didn't end very well. [She might've flipped a table.]

[wearingguess]

Oh, do they not have "refrigerator" where you are from? It was new to me too, when I arrived... the door seems at first like it doesn't want to open, but if you pull a little it comes loose. And inside it is quite roomy enough to store all manner of foods. Of course there is the pantry and the cabinets as well for things that you don't wish to cool.

[ clearly the problem here is that she just hasn't chosen to take advantage of her starter flat's storage solutions?? probably?? ]

Um, well...
Neither of them mentioned such a thing, but I would be glad to confirm it.
Exactly what do you mean by "fetishy"?

[circumitus]

Er, no, we have refrigeration and other storage units. Just not staying at any one place at the moment. Before you ask, there have been a few who offered their place to crash, so that's not an issue.

[So she's just so much a hobo but a... vagrant? Something like that.]

Meaning requiring shit like skimpy maid outfits and the like.

[wearingguess]

Then I shall ask them whether such things are required and let you know.

However...
Well, I find myself a bit confused...
Do you actually prefer not having a home? To me it seems very inconvenient...

[circumitus]

[She makes an affirmative sound, now that that's been covered.]

Found it to be more convenient, actually. Don't like owning many possessions. Can just move whenever without worrying about what could happen to the homestead. No worries about putting too much time into settling somewhere that could be gone tomorrow.

[wearingguess]

Well... I suppose, but... you end up with nowhere to store food.

[circumitus]

Don't need to store food. That's what breaking into people's homes is good for.

[what]

[wearingguess]

[ gurl....... ]

So you are unwilling to take money from someone who offers it, but happy to take food from someone who does not? Your values don't make any sense!!

[circumitus]

Who said anything about "values"? Don't judge how people live their lives.

[Is she serious about that or was that sarcasm in her tone?]

Besides, haven't had to steal in a long time. These days, just break in to use their showers or whatever shit like that. Some of them are aware of it now, anyway. [As evidenced by their conveniently leaving food in convenient bags from time to time.]