02 | Video

[maddeninghatter]

[ Baaa Baa-aa-aaaaaa Baaaaaaaaaaa! ]

I say, hello, hel-looooo! I have a question for you all--

[ The grime-smeared face of Xerxes Break appears onscreen. His white hair is discolored with dust and stuck together. There's a semicircular wound under his right cheekbone, and the shoulder of his jacket looks chewed. Despite all of this, he seems terribly pleased with himself. ]

Does anyone here have qualifications in animal husbandry?

[ More angry bleating and a yelp! Break turns. Visible in the background is another (also dirty and disheveled) man, desperately fending off a sheep. It’s not going at all according to plan; with a single headbutt he’s out of the camera’s line of sight, followed by a thud and worrisome tinkling noises. ]

Why, Gilbert. I think she likes you! ♥

[ Moving right along... ]

Anyway - yes. I'm looking specifically for people with experience or interest in shepherding, as well as shearing, spinning, knitting, cheese-making--

[ Another CRASH! and a voice yelling, “Break, look out!" ]

--and hand-to-hand combat! Kindly respond to this post, or apply in person to the botanical gar--

[ Break’s face suddenly disappears. The last image visible onscreen is… this. ]

Comments

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[quackery]

[She really should be expecting abrupt subject changes with him by now, and yet... Still, she answers after a short sigh.]

I'm fine. What about you?

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[maddeninghatter]

Is there anyone looking after you?

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[quackery]

Huh? I've got friends and stuff, of course, but I don't need anyone watching over me. I'm old enough to take care of myself.

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[maddeninghatter]

Of course.

Hm, well - if you wanted to stop by, I suppose it wouldn't be too much of a bother. Gilbert will feed anything that moves.

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[quackery]

[She thinks for a moment.]

Maybe sometime. We'll see.

video;

[maddeninghatter]

It's all the same to me, of course.

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[quackery]

But you're the one who offered!

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[maddeninghatter]

[ A little smile and a hum. And then: ]

I think you're wrong, by the way.

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[quackery]

[She takes a moment to put on a filter.]

About what?

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[maddeninghatter]

[ a little surprised by the filter, but endeavoring not to show it. ]

That a person doesn't need to be looked after. Even if they're all grown up.

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[quackery]

I guess it depends on what you mean by looked after. Like, of course people need to have people who we can count on, but not someone to watch over them all the time.

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[maddeninghatter]

Naturally! It's impossible to watch over somebody all the time. Impossible - and terribly tedious, besides.

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[quackery]

Then what were you talking about?

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[maddeninghatter]

Before you came here - and, ah, before you lived in that other place... When you lived at home, in your world.

Who looked after you there?

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[quackery]

I didn't have any parents. I lived in a dormitory. Um, I guess my teacher looked after me during class?

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[maddeninghatter]

[ Another orphan. ]

Ah.

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[quackery]

It doesn't bother me or anything, though! That's just the way it was.

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[maddeninghatter]

Quite so.

You know, you remind me of somebody.

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[quackery]

Who's that?

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[maddeninghatter]

"Maybe sometime" was it? Well - until then, I suppose.

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[quackery]

Why can't you just tell me now?

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[maddeninghatter]

Cos I need a bath right now. I smell like sheep!

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[quackery]

Then why can't you just tell me after you don't smell like sheep anymore?

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[maddeninghatter]

We'll see.

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[quackery]

It's not even a big deal! Why won't you tell me?