♫6

[both_neither]

[Gren is in the kitchen, enjoying an early cost-free breakfast. He's learned over the last few months to relax about the castle a little. Enough, at least, to help stretch his meager budget from his job in town.

He leans on the counter with a half-eaten plate of scrambled eggs near his elbow and a piece of toast poised in his mouth as he pages through the journal to get the latest news.

When, of course, a drop of jam falls onto the corner of the page. Automatically he goes to speak, but it's a bit muffled by food.]

Oh man...sorry about that.

[He wipes most of it away, but smears it around in the process, then a moment's pause as he takes a drink of milk and speaks again, this time much clearer]

Man, at least if you spill jam on your morning paper, you don't have to worry about getting it on everyone else's.

Oh, hey, while I'm at it, I was kind of wondering about the food situation in here. Is this is all wished up food, or does the castle refill it by itself? Do any of you bring in your own? I hope I didn't steal anybody's eggs...

[A short pause as something occurs to him]

And, uh, not that it concerns me, but where are the ghosts? They're usually hanging around in here. [He's had to shoo one away from taking his dishes away more than once.]

((Replies will be very slow through the weekend. Work is a harsh mistress...))

Comments

[not_mafia]

Ah, I've been wondering that myself.

--eh? They're not there?

[both_neither]

Not a sign of them since I got here.

[not_mafia]

Is that so...

[both_neither]

Yeah. I expected them to be hovering around cleaning up by now. Or maybe they finally got the hint that I'm interested.

[not_mafia]

M-maybe they're on a break? [do... ghost maids take breaks ?_?]

[both_neither]

I'm not sure ghosts need to rest...

[not_mafia]

A-ah, well, I'm not sure what else to tell you... Other than the castle probably has something to do with it, I guess.

[both_neither]

Naturally.

Hm, I wonder how many people here make food for themselves?

[not_mafia]

[oh man he was expecting this to be a short conversation sldfkjsd]

A-ah, I'm not sure...

[deterrence]

[so much stuff spilling on the journal these few days...oh, right, she was going to say something in response]

I think the castle refills itself. When that happens is the question, I haven't witnessed food appearing. It's just...there.

Weren't the ghosts around last night?

[both_neither]

It's kind of like the light in the refrigerator turning off. You're not really sure it happens since you never get to see it.

Oh...I don't know about that. I live in town.

[deterrence]

Schrödinger's larders. The food is both gone and present until we see it. [lol magic]

I saw some before I went to bed. [...] Are you in the castle now?

[both_neither]

Yeah. In the kitchen.

[deterrence]

That's odd. Were there a place the ghosts hardly leave, it'd be the kitchen. [maybe she should look out for them when she leaves her room...the ghosts aren't usually so elusive]

Though if you don't mind my asking, may I know what brings you here today?

[both_neither]

Um...breakfast?

[deterrence]

... [DOESN'T GET IT...] Is there a food shortage in town?

[both_neither]

[He chuckles] No. I'm just stretching my caisos out a little by stopping in here every so often. I'm not above a free meal.

[nothingtobelieve]

It seems we've been left to our own devices.

[He has no comment on the food; he doesn't really even have an opinion on it. He sounds, in fact, even more listless than usual.]

[both_neither]

Not necessarily a bad thing.

[nothingtobelieve]

Change here rarely heralds good things.

[both_neither]

Maybe. This one doesn't seem too bad though.

[nothingtobelieve]

We'll see. [But he's beginning to doubt the good will of the castle even more than he already did.]

[both_neither]

...are you okay?

[nothingtobelieve]

I'll be fine. [Eventually. But he can't be bothered to find a better excuse right now.]

[both_neither]

[Vicious code for 'no', then]

Right.

...Where are you?