video post

[ino]

[On the feed, you can see a pretty blonde girl staring at the screen. She's brushing her long hair with one hand, reaching to poke around on the screen with the other.

Finally, she lets out a little sigh, and mutters:]

Same shit, different day, I guess.

[She'll finally look directly into the camera, now, and put on a bit of a smile as she continues brushing her hair.]

So, it looks like I'm one of the few people whose age didn't get screwed around with. Anyone else out there?

Comments

[video]

[ino]

Oh yeah? [she peers at him; not recognizing him, she'll go ahead and ask:] Are you older or younger, then?

[Video]

[strategic_guile]

I'm older. I don't think we've met before, however. My name is Blaine.

[Video]

[ino]

I don't think we have either! But it's nice to meet you, Blaine. I'm Ino.

permavideo;

[strategic_guile]

A wonderful name, Ino. Does it have a meaning?

[ino]

[GAH. she freezes. giving a stranger easy bait to make fun of her? no thank you, she'll keep the "boar" meaning to herself.

she's quick to recover, laughing and tossing her hair a bit]

Well, not really, but I've heard there's a goddess in one world's mythology named Ino.

[strategic_guile]

[Notices that pause, but he doesn't comment on it, lets her keep that possible lie.] I'm sure it's a beautiful Goddess, indeed.

So how long have you been in this place?

[ino]

[she'll smile at the beautiful comment. flattery! it works!]

Not that long. About a month and a half. How about you?

[strategic_guile]

Less than six months, if I'm remembering it correctly. It's been a while since I was actually here the first time.

[ino]

So you're one of the older residents, then.

[strategic_guile]

Ouch. [Laughs] But probably.

[ino]

[a little laugh] Well, I didn't mean you were old. Just that you'd been here longer than most.

[strategic_guile]

[He's actually 50, so he's getting there. He's smiling anyway, totally unbothered.] That's excellent to hear from a lively young woman.

There were a lot of people who came before me who had been here for nearly a year.

[ino]

[hey, galadriel's like 10,000, you've still got a ways to go to beat that, blaine ;)]

Really? You haven't heard of anyone earlier than that at all?

[strategic_guile]

[He'll be dead long before! Doesn't count!]

No, not that I can recall, but I've met just a small fraction of people. The earliest posts on the network may help.

[ino]

I'll have to check it out.

[she pauses to make a note, before glancing back at the camera with a smile]

So! What do you do for a living, Blaine? I mean, before you came here, obviously.

[strategic_guile]

I work for a drug company, mostly. [Lifts his hands in a vague shrug.] On the board of directors for a few other companies as well.

[ino]

So ... you just tell them what to do?

[strategic_guile]

Basically. We meet a few times every year to go over rules and the direction of the company.

[ino]

A few times a year? So what do you do the rest of the time?

[strategic_guile]

Have fun. [Smirk.] Travel. Do whatever I want to.

I'd ask the same of you, but you look a bit young to have a job.

[ino]

[a bit of a frown. sorry, blaine, this is a bit of a sore spot]

First of all, I'm twenty-two. Secondly, I work at my family's flower shop.

[strategic_guile]

Oh? I thought you might have been in school. [Holds up hands.] No harm meant.

[ino]

I haven't been in school for a long time.

[but she relaxes, putting on a smile]

But I guess I could forgive you.

[strategic_guile]

I'll be in your debt for forgiving such a grave mistake. [Playfully.]

Does your flower shop do well? I can't say I know much about them.

[ino]

Sounds good. [she grins, obviously teasing]

We're the best in town! My dad and I are experts at that sort of thing.