video; un: maine

[slaughterous]

[ The video opens on a close-up of a truly kick-ass vehicle. It's tough! It's rugged! It's got hooks on the front that look like tusks! Truly, this is one bad-ass—

The video zooms out. The vehicle is tiny. A child could ride in it, maybe. But certainly not an adult.

An extremely gruff male voice mutters, ]

What the fuck.

[ Then a woman's laughter rises in the background. "What, Maine, compensating for something?"

The man grumbles, and the feed clicks off. ]

Comments

[slaughterous]

Dumb, [ he declares. ] Should be same.

[roundandaround]

I dunno why they do it that way either. Is it like that where you're from?

[slaughterous]

Depends on planet. Mine was eighteen. Adult and drinking.

[roundandaround]

Huh, I guess that makes sense. I wonder if it's any different in the other areas, like the Fairy Kingdom and stuff, 'cause they live longer.

[slaughterous]

Could ask?

[ … Can they? Do the fairies talk to them and stuff? ]

[roundandaround]

Probably! Oh, yeah, there's a quest out in the Fairy Kingdom, huh? I guess someone opened up a store that takes energy for payment instead of moon coins.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine perks up a little at that. He's low on coins at the moment. ]

Selling what?

[roundandaround]

Adventuring supplies! So I guess potions and items and stuff.

[slaughterous]

Useful.

[ And appreciated, by the tone of his voice. ]

[roundandaround]

Uh-huh! I like that kinda thing too! You never know what you're gonna need. I had a sleep potion lying around for, like, a year before I used it.

[slaughterous]

Still worked?

[ He doesn't need to worry about expiration dates? ]

[roundandaround]

Yeah! You didn't have to eat it, maybe it's different for the ones where you do. Although I guess it doesn't matter since Summers can use "undo rot" to fix expired food. I did a bunch of that for the neighbours after the power outage.

[slaughterous]

Really useful.

[ Certainly something for Carolina to look forward to. Imagine, not having to worry so much about preserving food. ]

I'm Winter.

[roundandaround]

Oh, Winters are cool! They have all the spirit powers and stuff! And water and ice! Those are really useful in Solarpeak, where I live. I think they have some moon and shadow stuff too.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine grunts. ]

Spirit powers seem weird.

[roundandaround]

I guess they kinda are, but they're useful! It feels like every other month there's something going on with ghosts and stuff that we gotta ask a Winter for help with.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine hums, considering that. Then: ]

Will prioritize.

[ Learning those abilities, he means. They're the weirdest of the bunch … but if he's going all-in here, he might as well go all-in! ]

[roundandaround]

I bet you're gonna do great! You sound like the kind of person who works really hard.

[slaughterous]

[ Maine hums. Proudly: ]

Number three in unit.

[roundandaround]

Wow, really? You guys were ranked? Wait, they ranked people within the unit? Oh, I guess I should ask what kinda unit, 'cause it's probably not like me.

[slaughterous]

Military unit. Special Ops.

Yours?

[roundandaround]

Uh... I'm a DJ?

[slaughterous]

[ A pause. ]

DJs have units?

[ He doesn't know the music industry! ]

[roundandaround]

Sorta! It's kinda the culture where I'm from. I think it's based off idol units? It started with groups like Call of Artemis, they were super popular back then -- they actually went to the same school I did! Our unit's called Happy Around! I'm the centre, Maho-chan is our DJ, Muni-chan's our VJ, and Rei-chan does accompaniment. Though none of them are here now, so I'm just a solo DJ.

[slaughterous]

Complicated.

[ Who knew the music industry would be! ]