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

[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.]

[mamadonna]

[ She opts for the Aloo Paratha, boiling potatoes and preparing the dough. She'd enjoyed the dish the other morning, so she expects it would be worth introducing it to him.

As she rolls it, an idle question nags at her mind. ] It occurs to me that I have yet to inquire after your name.

[mutab1e]

[Now that she has her back turned on him, he's free to watch as he pleases. So when Dolorosa turns back around again, she'll find Equius watching her hands intently and looking quite interested -- until he realizes she's speaking, at which point he immediately reverts to the previous state.] Equius Zahhak, ma'am.

[mamadonna]

Well, I am the Dolorosa.

[ She smirks a little as she notices the change in his posture. ] And you really are free to relax, if you'd like. There's no need to be so tense.

[mutab1e]

A pleasure, ma'am. [...As you can see, he doesn't entirely understand the range encircled by 'tense'. Or, perhaps, he just doesn't want to. But to his credit, he doesn't look quite as stiff, even if he's still talking to her like she's the next Empress of the Alternian Empire.] ...Um, if you don't mind, what are you making?

[mamadonna]

[ She continues rolling out the dough, now separated for the individual pieces. ] These are stuffed cakes which are offered with the morning meals. I found them quite appetizing, personally.

The potatoes will be mashed and placed within prior to baking, once they're finished cooking.

[mutab1e]

Oh, I see! [He never would have thought of that on his own, wow. Maybe he should take the cafeteria food from time to time.] ...Do you need any help?

[mamadonna]

If you would like! [ She takes a glance at the boiling potatoes and gives the pot a stir. ] I believe it may be time to drain these and mash them, if it would please you to accomplish that.

[mutab1e]

[He nods silently and sets to work. Dolorosa will notice that his air changes considerably; since it now seems that he actually knows what he's doing, he's putting all of his focus on the task at hand, and not trying to sink into the floor where no one will notice. Perhaps you should get a camera. This hasn't been documented very often.]

[mamadonna]

[ She pauses from her own work to admire his. It's such a drastic difference in composure that she can't help but notice, and certainly worth affirming and encouraging. ]

Well, I should apologize for not recognizing earlier that I was in the presence of one so talented!

[mutab1e]

[He looks up at her, quite startled.]

W-what? Um... it's fine, I'm really not that skilled. I mean, I taught myself...

[mamadonna]

[ She resumes forming her cakes with a smile. ]

Then it would appear that you had a gifted teacher.

[mutab1e]

[And Equius just keeps looking. Apparently it takes a moment for him to process that. But when he does, he mumbles something that might have been thanks and returns to mashing. How he even manages it with a complete lack of upper body strength remains a mystery to all.]

[mamadonna]

[ She begins working on her glaze as she waits for him to finish mashing, watching him work with some pride. ]

[mutab1e]

[And then the mashing is done. Equius sets the bowl of potatoes next to Dolorosa and then... stands there doing nothing, because ow his arms are kind of really hurting now and he doesn't know what comes next.]

[mamadonna]

[ She gives him a nod, then stuffs the potatoes and gets everything ready to stick in the oven. She's not gonna risk sticking Equius in it, so she takes the pan and makes the run herself. ]

[mutab1e]

[Oh. They're going into the oven. Good. But of course he follows her over as standby, to fix anything that goes wrong before she accidentally gets herself incinerated. ...It's not a very nice experience, hence the concern. But fortunately everything goes well, and no one dies.]

Is there anything else, or is that it?

[mamadonna]

Well, aside from the waiting while the actually baking is done and the consumption itself, of course, I thought we might serve them with fruit.

[mutab1e]

Oh, that would be a good idea. [His tone is a little lighter, a little lighter, at the thought of it.]

[mamadonna]

[ She takes a pineapple and a knife, beginning to slice off the top and bottom. ]

These will preferably be stripped of their hide prior to eating them. You could do so prior, but the hide is unpleasant to chew and has an unpleasant taste. [ She might've...tried it once or twice. ]

[mutab1e]

I would say so, yes. [He stares at the spiky fruit. There are similar varieties on Alternia, but those usually promised various ill effects, so he had been pointedly avoiding it up until this point.] The flesh... is edible, then?

[mamadonna]

[ She continues trimming the fruit, and carves a piece of to hand him. ] You can sample for yourself.

I had done so the other morning, so you can be assured that it is safe and edible.