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[neurotoxicity]

[ The video feed initially just shows the entrance to the cemetery at dusk. There's some fluid movement as the camera moves past Grave Concoctions, the local alchemist, and then forward a few steps towards a small strip of somewhat rundown buildings. The camera stops in front of one of the buildings on the far left side and then just zooms up and down on it. There are lights on inside the building and it clearly looks like someone's been inside and cleaned it up. Overall it's small and the outside is in need of a bit of help.

Ivy turns the camera to face her. She's got a thick white scarf wrapped around her neck and a large silver cross can be seen dangling down. ]

I've fixed the inside into what I want for the most part. [ She's to the point, it's common for her when she's got a specific goal in mind. ]

But I need some help for a few other things. I need the outside fixed up, there's some loose brick, and it needs some paint. Inside I need six barstools in black. I don't care about the material, but they have to be black. There were booths in there already, but I want them painted red. [ She's very specific. ] The kitchen is basically just the woodfire oven but that's enough, I don't need much more fixed with that. I've gotten the décor down.

[ Wait she's forgetting something. ] It's going to be a pizzeria. [ Probably should explain that right? ] I also need help with a name. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

[ A pause ] I can pay anyone that's willing to help clean up the outside and do the few other things I mentioned. I might also need some help running the place. I don't need a resume, just proof you're competent.

[ And she just ends things there. Ivy has A+ asking people for help skills. ]

Comments

[neurotoxicity]

[ She looks completely deadpan with her response: ] Pizza.

[usestwohands]

Ah. Forgive me, my friend. I've never heard of pizza.

[neurotoxicity]

[ Okay, now she actually feels bad. ]

I shouldn't have assumed. [ It's almost an apology. She does seem a tad bit sheepish. ]I was testing a new combination if you'd like a slice.

[usestwohands]

I would be honor to try your pizza.

[He smiles amicably. There's no reason to feel bad, Ivy.]

[neurotoxicity]

Good. Come by in a bit then?

[ Too late. ]

[usestwohands]

I will. I am not too far from your location now.

[neurotoxicity]

Is there anything you can't eat?

[usestwohands]

Not that I'm aware of.

[neurotoxicity]

Then I'll have a slice ready for you.

[usestwohands]

You are too kind.

action;
[His journey is quick, mostly because he sticks to rooftops rather than streets, avoiding much of the crowds, though he does make his way to the ground before approaching her building, out of respect. He went to enter, then stopped.

She hadn't shown the interior in her transmission. Out of politeness, he knocked.]

[neurotoxicity]

[ The inside was pretty dark, red and kind of what you might expect from a gothic restaurant owned by a vampire. The booths were white at the moment, still needing the red paint to finish them off. There were very lush looking curtains on the floor that still needed to be hung up and a black marble bar with a pile of barstools. Rather than coming to the door she just shouts: ]

It's open, come in. [ And when he comes in she's moving barstools around like they weigh nothing. There's a pizza on the bar, still hot but nothing too impressive. A cheese pizza with chicken and that's it. It wasn't meant to be shared with anyone really, just as a way to test the oven, but she could offer it to someone whose never had a slice at all. ]

[usestwohands]

[He enters at her invitation, moving slowly around the room, but approaching where she's working, taking in all the sights on the way. It seems strangely familiar, like something from a tale, or perhaps a story Regis told him once, but it was nothing he could cement into a memory. The colors reminded him of something he might find in his homeland, or that of the deep dwarves, décor more suited to those whose eyes didn't appreciate too much light.

The smells surrounding him were intoxicating as well, crusty leavened bread, roasted chicken, and some other smells he couldn't identify, but they were lovely and reminded him he hadn't eaten since breaking his fast.]

My I be of some assistance?

[neurotoxicity]

[ She smiled and shook her head. ]

No, it's fine. You came to test some pizza right?

[usestwohands]

[He returned her smile in kind.]

I did, but I can also be of some use. It looks as though quite a bit of work has gone into this place...unless you found it this way, in which case I believe luck is on your side, my friend.

[neurotoxicity]

[ She shakes her head. ]

No, it came with a kitchen that made it seem like it was a restaurant of some kind before. But everything else I've had to bring in or clean.

[usestwohands]

And you've done this alone?

[Something about that reminded him of himself. He wasn't predisposed to asking for help, either, though something struck him as well. It was possible she'd wanted to do it alone, perhaps for the accomplishment or some other, more personal reason.]

It has a unique atmosphere. [He smiled.] And I appreciate the darkness. My eyes are sensitive to the light.

[neurotoxicity]

Yeah. I'm stronger than I look and I like keeping busy. [ And she hated asking for help. Really hated it. ] I'm also...particular. [ A perfectionist. ]

Good unique? [ He smiled so she's assuming so. ] Are they? I assume that's genetic?

[usestwohands]

[He had a friend who was 'particular' in his own world so it wasn't very hard to follow what she meant by that. Still, he nodded.]

Good. [He nodded. He'd heard the term before here, and actually knew what she meant.] Many of my people never leave their subterranean home. We are not built for daylight.

[neurotoxicity]

[ She pushed the pizza over to him and offered him up a slice. ][ She nodded at his explanation. ] Ah, so it's that your kind have adapted for the underground. Do you go out mostly at night here still?

[usestwohands]

[He'd seen the sailors and fishermen of Ten Towns put things on bread, or wrapped within dough and baked for quick lunches out on the Lakes, but the pizza was something else. More than anything, it was just...more refined. It smelled appetizing, though, and after a moment's hesitation, figured out where he was supposed to pick it up from and did so with more grace than might be expected from the inexperienced.

He nodded before taking a bite.]

Yes. If I go out in the day, I wear a hood pulled low. The light makes my head ache after a time.

[And then he look a bite. The bread was light, airy, but with a crispness he hadn't been expecting, and the sauce was so flavorful! His eyes widened in surprised and he smiled before swallowing.]

I can see why pizza is popular.

[neurotoxicity]

[ He's not the first person she's watched with amusement as they try to figure pizza out. He's a bit better than the other guy actually. He was a human that was afraid of the tomato sauce. That'd been hilarious. ]

Maybe consider sunglasses?

[ Just a suggestion. ]

Like it?

[usestwohands]

It is quite delicious, yes, though...rich. [At least more rich than most of the things he eats.] Do humans eat this often? Or...vampires?

[He looks thoughtful while he finishes his slice.]

...sunglasses?

[neurotoxicity]

Sometimes. Some people live off of it, but some use it as an every now and then thing. [ She grins. ] More vampires than humans like it after the Turn. Humans are afraid of tomatoes now.

[ Probably shouldn't be surprising he doesn't know what sunglasses are. ]

They're glasses you wear with shades on them that darken the sun.

[usestwohands]

[He couldn't imagine living off the stuff, but he could see treating himself to it on occasion.]

Is it sold by the slice, or whole?

[It was an important distinction he should like to know beforehand. His eyebrows rose in curiosity before he nodded.]

I have much to learn about vampires. I confess, all I know I read in books.

[For instance, he didn't know they could eat as mortals do.]

They sound like a marvel and I should like to find some.

[neurotoxicity]

You can get it either way.

[ She shrugged nonchalantly. ] I think vampires are different in a lot of worlds and I doubt mine are like yours.

[ Though she'd be curious about what he knew of them. ]

Let me know if you find any here and how they work for you.