3rd campaign

[campaigns]

[It's been a while since he's heard from Miss Sharma. Not terribly long, since there was that lavish cruise they were given, but it's always odd to go from seeing someone every day to seeing them occasionally.

So Eli has decided to invite himself over.

He's currently looking around her surprisingly empty room. He's not sure why he's surprised. It's not like she seems very materialistic. There's a definite difference between hers and his, which is far more... filled.

He picks up a bowl on a counter and holds it up, examining it closely. The journal is open nearby so he dictates to it while he waits.]


[Dictated]

You would think that in a world where we can acquire virtually anything we want, people would want to take advantage of that. I'm not talking about mass wishing, since apparently that makes the castle tempermental, but at least try to decorate your room.

[Eli sits down upon a couch, sprawling out a bit.]

Then again, I suppose there are other matters on everyone's mind. What's this I heard about an "expedition?" [You can hear it in his tone that this is accompanied by air quotes with his fingers]

Comments

forever filter room

[kalinda]

[Guess who's coming home after a long day of checking out the ladies investigating? She freezes once she opens her door and narrows her eyes, her tone wholly unamused.]

What are you doing.

[campaigns]

[He doesn't quite react when she walks in. He doesn't see anything too terribly wrong with this picture. In fact, he doesn't look up from the journal when he addresses her.]

You're not much of a decorator, are you?

[kalinda]

[Still staring, arms folded. That unamused expression is forever on Kalinda's face, by the way.]

I'd rather not invest in something supposedly so temporary.

[campaigns]

Why not? It's not as if we really have to pay for it. [There's a brief pause, and he looks up for a moment.] Technically.

[kalinda]

Technically. [:|] But you do remember we could leave at any moment, right?

[campaigns]

Yes. And I'm sure there's a magical cleanup crew that will handle all belongings left behind, so why not add a little touch of home while you're waiting?

[kalinda]

[>:(] I didn't even do that when I was actually home.

[campaigns]

[He says nothing for a good few seconds.]

Really. That explains a lot.

[kalinda]

What-- [No. Better not ask.]

Why are you here, anyway.

[campaigns]

[He closes the journal and stands now, greeting her warmly. Warmly for Eli, anyway.]

I can't just drop in to say hello?

[kalinda]

Preferably with my consent.

[campaigns]

[But this is so much more convenient!

He gets up to pace behind that comfy couch, looking at those bare walls. Those poor, naked walls.]

How have you been?

[kalinda]

[They're minimalist, okay?! GOSH.]

Fine. All things considered.

[Small talk........]

[campaigns]

[He's trying!]

Still investigating?

[kalinda]

Of course.

[She actually hates it when small talk has no consequence like yielding information she can use for a job-- OH MAN, NOT KEEPING BUSY IS A PAIN.]

Still spearheading things from the sidelines?

[campaigns]

[There's apparent frustration in his tone.]

Not as much as I'd like.

You've been here longer than I have. What are these "expeditions" they talk about?

[kalinda]

[And now she's easing into sardonic ways.]

You mean aside from romanticized camping trips?

[campaigns]

[Is that all they are? That's disappointing.]

So they don't actually make any progress.

[kalinda]

Not a whole lot, as far as I have read. They've barely scratched the surface if the lack of places to go other than the outskirts of town is any indication. Yes, we have outposts in the wile, but nothing has else has been found thriving.

[campaigns]

[He suspects that he won't get the cold hard truth from the castle at large. Plus, he trusts Kalinda's judgement. Just not when it comes to decorating.]

And people are fine with that?

[kalinda]

To an extent. They keep going out there, so I suspect they're trying to find some sort of anthropological discovery to blow the case of the mysterious castle wide open.

[campaigns]

[Frown]

A lot of good that's doing if they still haven't discovered anything. What, do they believe the world is flat? They'll fall off the edge if they move too far from Paradisa's safety bubble?

Dictated forever

[huffythedragon]

I don't know, man. The castle counts decorating as wishing too, and is that the sort of trouble you really want to step in?

[campaigns]

You don't have to completely redesign the place. Moderate wishing should do the trick.

[Wait a second.]

You're that scaly dragon child, aren't you?

[huffythedragon]

It might still come back to get you one day.

That's me, I'm Spike.

[campaigns]

[Spike sounds like a dog's name. :|]

Spike. Is that a nickname, or your actual name?

[huffythedragon]

That's...my actual name? [No it is a beautiful name get out]

[campaigns]

[Who names these children?!]

Well, Spike. I'll be sure to use caution when I'm remodeling my room.

[huffythedragon]

[Very young ponies, apparently]

Okay, I just wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you.

[campaigns]

[Wait... what]

Why?

[huffythedragon]

Why what?

[campaigns]

Why would you care what happens?

[huffythedragon]

...Because it would be really mean not to care. [As if that's the most obvious answer in the UNIVERSE]

[campaigns]

...And?

Listen. Can you honestly say that you care about every single person in the world?

[huffythedragon]

...

Doesn't everypony?

[campaigns]

No, they don--

[Wait.]

Did you honestly just say "everypony"?

[huffythedragon]

Uh...yes? That's what we say where I'm from.

[campaigns]

[...]

But you're not a pony. [NO DAMMIT] HORSE. You're not a horse.

[huffythedragon]

I'm a pony in spirit. I mean, I was raised by them, and living like them is all I know. So what if I was hatched a dragon, I grew up in their society. Doesn't that make me as much as a pony as the rest of them?

[campaigns]

[Oh god he really wasn't fishing for a life story here.]

What is wrong with just saying "everyone?"

[huffythedragon]

[TOO BAD. Be glad he didn't do it in SONG, Eli]

...Because we say everypony.

[campaigns]

[The fact that he wants to debate this should be a CLEAR SIGN that Eli needs something to do in the castle.

Alas, he's got nothing going on at the moment.]

And how do the other dragons feel about that? Or the talking cows and chickens and dogs? They're perfectly fine with that?

[huffythedragon]

[Get a job, Eli. You're arguing with a ten year old dragon]

Other dragons don't say it, only ponies. They have their own words. Everydragon, I guess. I didn't spend enough time with them to really figure it out.

[campaigns]

Again. I ask. What is so wrong with just saying everyone? It's a simple, all-encompassing word. Try it, you might like it!

[huffythedragon]

Because we don't use that? And all my pony friends use it, I'm happy staying that way. You creepy kinda jerk

[campaigns]

[FINE. Continue to oppress yourself for all he cares!]

Never mind. I'm done. Why are we even having this discussion? What has my life become?

[huffythedragon]

[HE WILL. JERKY JERKFACE]

I don't know man. If you talk in the journal, people will talk to you back.

[campaigns]

At least there's an easy solution to this.

[Yep, he's closing the journal now.]

[huffythedragon]

[YOU'RE A MEAN PERSON AND YOU SHOULD FEEL MEAN]