tushanshu | 004 ✿ Video

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004 ✿ Video

[So here's a face who hasn't posted to the network in a bit, with slightly less of a flowerpocalypse than last time. Asbel does look pretty sheepish, though, and rubs at his cheek before clearing his throat.]

I was wondering, if anyone had any advice for starting up a shop here? I...I'd like to sell flowers, I think, since I still have...

...Well. There's a lot of them. But I'm not really sure how to get started, so any advice would be appreciated.

[He blinks, and remembers to add something else.] Oh, and if anyone has any spare pots or vases, I'd be happy to take them off your hands.

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A flower shop?

[Armin's first reaction is that that's a rather high-class sort of business. Only people in the affluent districts of his home can afford to waste money on something as frivolous as flowers. But he's learning every day that Keeliai is much different from his world.]

I don't know very much about business or markets, but... I assume you'd need a storefront. Where are you getting all your flowers? It would have to be nearby, since they wilt so quickly.

I've been growing them, but I'm kind of running out of pots.

...And space in my suite.

[...Just how many flowers are you growing? Asbel.] Some of them grow really quickly, so I won't run out, but the roses probably won't be ready until spring...

[...In your house? Alright, well, that's okay. I guess. They are ridiculously spacious.]

Well, as long as you have a steady supply, I don't see why you shouldn't make money off of it. Although the people that live in Wood seem to be a bit too practical for buying flowers. Perhaps you should try the Water Sector?

Water...or maybe Fire? They seem to like pretty things there, but I'm not sure they'd take to flowers.

[Asbel laughs a little.] It'd probably just be a small shop...I don't need anything more than just enough to get by, honestly.

If it's what you'd like to do, it can probably be done. Making a living is not very hard here... I only help a man with his stable of Kirin, grazing and currying and that sort of thing, and I think he far overpays me.

Oh, I've been working at one of the woodshops...but I thought it'd be nice, since I have all these flowers anyway.

...I'm sorry, though, I don't think I've seen you around before, come to think of it. My name's Asbel, it's nice to meet you.

Ah yes, I'm still rather new...

[Armin gives him a loose salute, holding his right fist over his heart.]

I am Armin Arlert, of the Scouting Legion. It's a pleasure to meet you, Asbel.

[Asbel salutes back immediately, reflexively; it's clear he's a trained soldier from the crisp lines of it, and has been for a while.

Or, well, had, but that's irrelevant.]

The pleasure's all mine. Have you been settling in alright?

[Oh, he's been trained. That changes Armin's view of Asbel. He does so much better with military people.]

Yes. Well, it's very different from where I live, but in a pleasant way. Even if all this technology is very confusing.

[Oh Armin, if only you knew.]

It is a little bit, but it's not too different from the sort of stuff a friend of mine would make.

[Well, it explodes less. But Asbel isn't going to mention that to Armin...He smiles instead, doing his best to seem welcoming.]

I'm glad to hear it, though. If we're stuck here a while, we might as well make the best of it.

It's like nothing I've ever seen before. I've been having to learn all these "computer" [He still doesn't say it quite right.] techniques from scratch.

If you've been here awhile, would you happen to know why we're stuck here? I've thought about it as much as I can, but it honestly doesn't make sense to me. Why would the Kedan willingly bring in more mouths to feed?

[I'm sorry he jumps to serious subjects so quickly. He really doesn't have an off switch :|]

Ah. Actually, hang on.

[And a moment later, Have an audio file, Armin.]

Just hit 'continue' and it should play when it finishes, but that explains everything we know much better than I can.

[After receiving the audio, Armin mysteriously disappears for a couple of hours. His brain needs time to mull over this.]

...Thank you for the information. [When he returns, he seems tired, and somewhat grave.] I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, it was just something that deserved time to think about.

I know. I'm sorry to really only have bad news, on that front, but...it's better that people know.

[He nods, and then sighs a little.] I guess the flowers seem a little silly in light of it, but...I don't think we'll ever win unless there's things that can make people smile still. Might not be flowers, but I can try.

It's such an elaborate ruse, and I have to admit there's a lot of it I don't understand. I'll need more time to think things through. But I can grasp the gravity of the situation.

[Now how the hell is he going to explain it to Eren.]

Maybe... That is important. Things like flowers and smiles. I haven't thought about it in such a long time.

[Just tell Eren Malicant's a titan, problem solved.]

It's just something I have to believe in. It's fine if not everyone thinks that way.

I don't think it's a useless sentiment. When war is over, humans need a happy world to return to.

Mm. It's not good enough to just worry about protecting people right now. We have to also worry about building a future.

I hope to see that future.

I believe you will. May the wind guide your blades there.

[He salutes once more, fist against his heart, and the way he says it is clear-Asbel has absolute faith in this person he just met being able to make it.

And why shouldn't he?]

It looks like you've got an idea for which sector you'd look into, so I'd begin with looking for an actual place to use, then. If this world works like mine, you'd need to arrange to rent out that space, and the money to be able to do so. Deciding the store's name, and if you're not going to be working alone, who'll be managing what. You'd need to plan the appearance of the shop and gather the materials, so looking for someone who may have experience with that sort of thing might be helpful.

After that, you'll want to advertise. Nobody's going to come to a shop they don't know anything about.

...Have you done something like this before? You really know a lot.

[He is really impressed you're really smart, Ricardo. But he's taking the moment to actually write down the suggestions. Not because he doesn't think he'll remember, but because it's a good way to keep track of who's said what.]

I haven't, but my grandfather... well, you could say he ran a business of sorts.

[And so did many of the hundreds of people whose lives he knew all about no thanks to Sham.]

Deciding on the prices of the flowers you want to sell will also be necessary. If you're going to sell potted plants, you'll have to be able to explain how to care for them and find a place that'll sell what people need for that, or acquire them yourself so you can sell them at your own shop. You'll need pots to put all of your flowers in as well. If you're selling cut flowers, you'll need containers to hold them and things to wrap them with when you give them to your customers.

[He can go on, man.]

[Yep taking notes.]

I have the pots and I've been getting soil from a couple places, but I'm going to need more more regularly, I think.

[And he smiles up at the camera at a break in the notes.] This is really helpful, though. Thanks.

You're very welcome. I'm glad I can be of some help.

I'm inexperienced, personally, but if it's knowledge I think I have more of it than some others. [No thanks to having access to like 200 different people's minds.] If there's anything else I can offer information on, please feel free.

I'll be sure to ask. You're really smart, Ricardo...it reminds me of my little brother, a little.

[You've been adopted, kiddo. There's no stopping him.]

[Ricardo's honest thought right now is "then do all smart children remind you of your younger brother because that's a really general description"]

I just have a lot of time on my hands. Back home, with my family being the sort it was, I never had a lot of friends to go outside with. Reading and studying were just about all I did.

Your family? What was it like? [And that would only exacerbate the problem.

Really, it's more the longsuffering that reminds Asbel, but he's not going to say that.]

Ahh...Hubert just like studying, when we were kids. And I guess when he was in Strahta he had to hone his intelligence to keep ahead of the game. Still, he's always using it to help people out, even if he's not always, um, really forward about why he does it.

My family was, ah... perhaps not as respectable as you and your brother's, from the sound of it.

You could say we were criminals of a sort. They've got those here, too, don't they? Those gangs.

...Ah.

[So it was like that? ...Well, Ricardo still seems like a nice enough person. And if he's talking only in the past tense...] Well, family is family, right? If you didn't get along with them, or if they're gone now...you can make a new family, out of the people closest to you.

We were related by blood, my grandfather and I -- and his nephew, although I haven't seen him in many years. I lost my parents about a little over a year ago, and my grandfather was quite a self-centered person so I don't have any personal attachments to him.

... However, I am the heir. I don't think starting a new family is the decision I'll be making.

The heir, huh...? [That's something Asbel understands, and he breathes out a little...wistfully]

That's something that just doesn't let itself be given up, yeah. Either way, I wish you the best of luck. Um, in the family bit, not the. Crime part, no offense.

Don't worry, Mr. Asbel. I don't intend to create an organization like the one my grandfather built. Those days will soon be over for the country.

I know a wonderful shop to get both pots and vases, monsieur, and I've some seeds I was unable to plant if you would like them.

Oh, are you sure? I'd love more seeds, but...[He doesn't want to take them if it isn't really truly alright to do so.]

Quite. I had expected to have more time to grow them, but Asti's illness left me with very little time and far too many seeds. You may take them, should you need them.

I'd be happy to grow them, thank you. It's very kind of you to offer this way...are these from your home?

Alas, they are not. Perhaps I will find some next time we make landfall, but these seeds are simply kedan flowers.

Oh, that's too bad...still, it'd be nice to see them, thank you.

Wait. Still?

[Asbel oh my God how do you have there Asbel what are you even doing with them]

No clue on starting a business, but we have some spare jars and buckets and stuff? Not pretty, but it's something to hold all the flowers in, at least.

I replanted as many as I could, and there were a bunch of sopherias in Sinbrilee.

[Friendship.]

It'll work until I have the money to get the nicer vases...maybe I should see if there's some potters I can talk into working with me, I could sell the vases too.

That could work, too!

You could also try planting them around the turtle with a bunch of others. Like a community improvement project [cue illustrative hand wave] or whatever those are called.

That'd be nice...but I want to have more ready first. In the meantime, I do have to eat, and even if I can't protect everyone with my sword, I can try and protect their hearts.

[Asbel don't say shit like that with a straight face.]

[............Asbel that was ten kinds of cheesy.]

Oh... kay. [He can't even be more than slightly puzzled at it. really, asbel.] Who am I to keep you from, uh, heart-protecting?

...It sounded that bad, huh?

[He's self-aware, if nothing else?]

Don't worry. On a cheese-scale from American to Limburger, you were probably only at about provolone.

[jaime what does that even mean]

...I'm gonna assume that made sense with context.

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004 ✿ Video

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why do I not have an icon of him saluting...

lol does he do it in game? a few times?

Plenty of times! And yet.

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