002 ♍ In Which Our Correspondent Discovers The Function Through Which To Visually Broadcast

[mamadonna]

[ The video clicks on to show Dolorosa fussing with the computer. Well, most of her. Only the bottom of her head is visible, as whoever used this terminal last is far shorter than she is. After a few moments of this, the camera shakes and refocuses to show her face, and after double-checking it against the display on the monitor, she smiles and places her hands in her lap.

She looks tired, and the bags under her eyes have deepened from getting very little sleep this past month. ]

Well, I'm pleased to see they have heard and followed my suggestion to improve the cafeteria menu! The recent state of affairs has been simply atrocious, we can't have growing children expected to receive their necessary sustenance from such negligent offerings.

More than this, it allows little excuse for one to not eat healthfully, so I must encourage you all to observe your proper nutritional schedule each day. Should you require assistance, or perhaps more direct motivation, [ ie. her pulling you by the ear to the cafeteria ] my services remain available.

I'm glad to see local operations improving following the dreadful events of the past weeks.

[ Of course, she...doesn't know about the puffer fish soup... ]

Comments

[mutab1e]

M-me? [Blink. It's evident that this thought does not often cross his mind.] ...Um, no, that's fine, really. I'm fine.

[mamadonna]

Yet, I'm inclined to believe otherwise. On what occasion had you last eaten?

[mutab1e]

Yesterday... [He had been busy this morning okay!!! ...yeah, no he hadn't.]

[mamadonna]

Well, that settles it then. Where is your terminal located? [ SHE IS TAKING HIM ]

[mutab1e]

[Oh um no, no that's not necessary, he sees where this is going--]

...The first floor of the dormitories, ma'am.

[She's an adult jadeblood, what else was he supposed to do?!]

[mamadonna]

[ She stands up from her terminal to see if she can spot anyone at the other terminals on this floor, which leaves nothing on the screen but the black and jade of her skirt.

She leans back down to the camera after a moment. ]

Perhaps you could do me the favor of holding your arm out toward the hall.

[mutab1e]

Um, of course.

[And cautiously, he does so, holding it there for what he hopes is long enough before pulling it back in. That was silly, that was incredibly silly...]

SUDDENLY ACTION

[mamadonna]

[ She glances back over the monitor, then closes the transmission. Taking up her staff, she walks down the hall to his terminal and stands right next to him with an expectant smile. ]

Come along, then. We'll get you something to eat.

[mutab1e]

[And then he looks up... and up... and up. Well. He'd... honestly never met any adult trolls in his life before, and he was the same height as most humans, so this was definitely a new experience. So please excuse the borderline-horrified expression that flashes over his face before it settles into more socially acceptable 'fearful respect'.]

...Uh. I mean-- Yes.

[Speak strongly.]

[He quickly logs off the terminal before standing up, watching Dolorosa intently.]

[mamadonna]

[ He was actually taller than many she had been known to associate with, but she still had a good six inches on him before her horns were factored in.

So, she takes him by the arm and leads him down the corridor. ]

Do you have any types of food you prefer, out of curiosity? Clearly, we can offer no guarantee that such a thing will be available, but it remains worthy of the asking, I think.

[mutab1e]

[He allows himself to be completely dragged.]

Not... not particularly, usually I just use whatever ingredients are available for the month...

[mamadonna]

As is the case for each of us, but should you be allowed the option of any food imaginable within existence, what would you select?

[mutab1e]

...I... don't know?

[Look, you put him on the spot, okay. He's not good with difficult questions like these. So excuse him as he just... names the first Alternian food that comes to mind.]

...Erm. Grubloaf, I... suppose.

[mamadonna]

[ She smiles amicably, a little amused at the choice. ]

So spartan a selection! I would have expected something of a more whimsical flavor; perhaps sweet, but inversely lacking in nutritional content. Though it is possible you would have it served with vegetables steamed with care, and generously coated in grub sauce.

[mutab1e]

...Oh, um, a dessert? I thought you were talking about meals, sorry... [Awkward pause.] Uh. Well, yes, of course. There's. Really no other proper way to serve grubloaf, is there?

[mamadonna]

Desserts, sweets, what have you. Children are often expressing a preference for these as opposed to the meals necessary for their survival.

But you would be surprised at the lack of imagination I have seen the loaf served in. In this cafeteria, I would not be surprised to see it plain, with no garnish or accompaniment whatsoever!

[mutab1e]

I... I wouldn't know how it is made in the cafeteria. I cook most meals myself.

[mamadonna]

And yet you're still so negligent with your eating habits? Are you at least feeding these prepared meals to others?

[mutab1e]

Yes. O-of course. [Or, at least, he's leaving them out for others, next to the prepared food in the Cafeteria. 'Feeding' implies that he is capable of actually walking up to a stranger and handing them a meal, which is probably an overstatement of his abilities. And as for the lack of feeding himself, um... let's just say it's a force of habit, and he's not used to having so many ingredients freely on hand.]

[mamadonna]

Well, we should hate for such meals to go to waste. But you needn't feel that the food is only prepared for sharing, it is important that you retain some for your own use, as well.

[mutab1e]

Well, yes, I do... save some, that is. I mean. I. Eat. ...Just not as. Often. As some others may. [Yeah this is kind of a really awkward subject for him... but then, what isn't?]

[mamadonna]

Nor so often, apparently, as your body would require. Three square meals, nothing less.

[ She looks him over again. ] Though it may be necessary to transition to that point slowly, as not to overwhelm your digestive bladder.

[mutab1e]

Sorry. [Force of habit. Though he does take a moment to think about her second point -- yes, probably. Watch his body rebel in every way it knew how, regardless of whether they took it slowly or not.]

[And then, just for confirmation:] ...Um, so we are... doing this, then.

[mamadonna]

You needn't apologize to me. I'm hardly the one receiving the consequences of the oversight.

[ She looks ahead of the hallway they're walking down, almost there. ] But yes, I am the one who's taken it upon herself to correct it, and we've almost arrived already. This walk wasn't simply for exercise.

[mutab1e]

[...Oh. So they have.]

[He doesn't really seem to have a problem with Dolorosa jumping into the role of dietary consultant -- or rather, maybe he does on a level of "you are an adult and a jadeblood and you should not be wasting your time on me". But even if he would mention this concern to someone not a troll or closer to his own age, he's just going to go along with it so Dolorosa wouldn't cull him. She doesn't seem like the type, but you never know; his last run-in with an adult troll had ended in death by asphyxiation, so he's going to try and avoid that.]

[It isn't often that he hovers awkwardly in the kitchen of all places, but he's doing it now. What is Dolorosa doing? What will she be making? Should he help? So many questions, and not really enough backbone to ask any of them.]