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[icy_veins]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, ERIDANUS SUNGAZER. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 099.23.886.00 *** Archmage has joined 099.23.886.00 <Archmage> Hello, this is Eridanus Sungazer. <Archmage> In the event I am currently unavailable, please leave a message. <Archmage> I will answer back, promptly. If I feel you are worth the trouble.

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[terribibble]

[The pants problem was one that used to bother Fiddleford a lot too, at the beginning. There was never really a good solution to it. Oversized clothing might have draped down far enough to make up the difference, but he's not a child wearing his big brother's hand-me-downs anymore. Skirts crossed his mind, but he's just too firmly entrenched in 'man from the seventies' to be comfortable in one. Ultimately nobody can tell where his junk is unless he directs them to it, so he's resigned himself to just pretending it's a non-issue. He barely even thinks about it anymore. Most people are wholly distracted by his awful shirts anyway.]

Oh, a little of everythin'. Beef -- no human it this time. [He could be convinced in future, but then it gets into the logistics of butchering up a whole person and where would he put the leftovers and y'know, it'd just be a whole thing. The way he eats usually cuts out that kind of prepwork. He doesn't have a freezer equipped for that kind of meat storage yet.] Onion, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes, a whole mess of beans. Spices, but I'm not tellin' you exactly which, that's a family secret.

[The secret is it's basically all of them, a lot. And moonshine, but that should have cooked away by now.]

I had a run-in with gnomes once. Awful little critters. Real sharp teeth.

[icy_veins]

[Eridanus' lip curls into a wincing snarl as a particularly spicy plume of steam fogs his glasses and itches the back of his throat. Taking a cautious step backwards, he pulls his glasses from his face and rubs the smooth back of his opal hand against his eye.]

I'm eager to try it. I've yet to have anything appropriately spiced since arriving in Ryslig, and my palate is dying for flavor. [After all, he wasn't really a cook, and Rosefica did not have access to the typical spices they would use in their homeland's cuisine.

Once the tears at the corners of his eyes were wiped away, Eridanus replaced his glasses. The bit about the gnomes was... odd.] I have never known their kind to be particularly malicious. At most, their cheery attitudes were annoying.

[If punting them were not looked down upon, he would have done so to every gnome that crossed his path.] So are you working on any new or interesting programs, then?

[terribibble]

[For a long moment Fiddleford considers launching into the 'everyone here is from different worlds so things are going to work differently depending on who you talk to' talk, but thinks better of it. It's not hard to pick up on naturally after a while, and he likes talking about his business more when it comes down to it.]

Well, neither of them are technically public knowledge yet, but we have some things in the pipeline. We have a virtual pet game we're workin' on version 3.0 of, and Larry -- I don't know if you've met, Larry Laffer? -- he's headin' up somethin' totally new. Now that the laptops have much better display capabilities makin' desktop games just makes sense.

The desktop version of the pets're free, by the by, if you want to try 'em out.

[Eridanus already doesn't strike him as the kind of guy who'd be particularly interested in a cute little blob of pixels wandering around his screen, but you never know.]

[icy_veins]

[Eridanus doesn't even know what a video game is Fiddleford, and honestly he is not so concerned with this lack of knowledge that he even graces it with inquisition. Instead, a tight, polite smile makes its residence on his visage, and he nods in quiet feigned understanding.]

I see, it sounds as if you have your hands full making Ryslig a more fun place.

[And there isn't even sarcasm in that! Eridanus is impressed that, with everything bad going on in this place, there are some who care enough to create wholesome experiences. Especially for the children.]

I have met Larry, capricious man that one. He had the audacity to insinuate that I want to sleep with my wife's best friend. I loathe that man. He's been a wart in my life the second he's come into it. [As he speaks his ears pin back, his runty tail flicking back and forth in irritation. He also doesn't mention that after his wife's death, he did sleep with him once. Though it was purely out of grief.] Absolutely absurd. The man has no likeable qualities.

when will Eridanus play Minecraft, killing me instantly

[terribibble]

[Fiddleford is very much of the opinion that people deserve good things here. Being able to survive is important, and probably the first thing anybody ought to address. But just surviving isn't enough. He remembers what it was like when he felt almost obligated to be miserable because he thought that proved he was still human. Now with a little more perspective he feels like that's bullshit. People, human or not, deserve nice things. Like chili! There's a reason he still cooks and eats normal food even though he really doesn't have to.

At such a succinct takedown of his new project manager, Fiddleford snorts.]

Aw, now, I wouldn't go that far. You've just never seen his code. It's like watchin' a man remake the Mona Lisa in variables. You tell him you want somethin', turn him loose, and a couple hours later he's got it done.

[Which is kind of the life story with Larry Laffer, not that Fiddleford would know that.]

He's a little blue for my tastes sometimes but the work ethic makes up for it. And speakin' of work-- [He gives the chili one last stir and, apparently satisfied, shifts back a little.] I think we're ready to go here. Everythin' else is all set out on the table already but you'll probably want to make your bowl here first, this pot ain't movin'.

[He made a lot. You can't not make a lot of chili. That's now how chili works.]

Play: Minecraft Eating Soundbit

[icy_veins]

[Behind the thin-brimmed glasses that sit low on Eridanus' aquiline nose, his bridge wrinkles with distaste. While they had only had one conversation, it was enough for him to know that he would have to be incredibly inebriated in order to enjoy Larry's company. Unfortunately, even Fiddleford's attempts to rein in that displeasure falls on deaf ears, though not entirely in part for Eridanus' stubbornness. It's mostly because he barely understands the jargon that has just streamed past Fiddleford's lips, with words like 'code' and 'variable' holding vastly different meanings in the troll-elf's repertoire.]

I will have to take your word for it. [He concedes as he steps away from Fiddleford's shoulder to see which cabinet the bowls and spoons are pulled from. There's an idle curiosity to his verdant gaze, though it seems it's knowledge for knowledge's sake as the places for things within this home are etched into his memory.]

At least he has work ethic, I'm sure that's difficult to find in your employees here. [Everyone seems to have their own agenda, at least from his own observation. Though even the prelude to this meeting was on the basis of them being future coworkers. Eridanus wonders for a moment, just how well a monster school will work?

Quietly, and by Fiddleford's direction, Eridanus spoons out a generous amount of chili into his bowl. The scent is divine, urging hunger pangs through his gut as just the spice alone is enough to coax his mouth to water. He was typically not so enthusiastic to eat, yet for some odd reason, he can't help but feel giddy to try a bite. How lucky is he then, that a spot falls onto his thumb, and he's all too eager to stick it in his mouth for a taste. The chili is cleaned off, and the rich spicy taste entices his mouth to water further. With an excited wagging of his runty tail, Eridanus tries his best to hide his anticipation.]

Shall we bring glasses for the wine, too?