tushanshu | video;

[After getting the lowdown from a rather nice lady, a very annoyed-looking young woman is staring balefully at the camera.]

Are you serious.

Are you serious.

Because people keep explaining this Life-Death-Dreaming thing to me and it sounds like bullshit. There are two planes I can be on and I’m apparently not on either of them and that is so much bullshit I have apparently been dropped into the former pasture of a hekatomb of oxen because what the hell.

Look. Look at this. [She holds up her journal with a helpful diagram of a stick figure, a vertical line, and another stick figure, and a double-sided arrow.] My soul can be Waking, or it can be Otherside, or it can occasionally be both at the same time because my life is a dumpster fire. Not this, okay? [She puts the journal down, raises her hand, and taps the labradorite ring she’s wearing.] My soul is not in a rock. Even if it’s a really pretty rock, and I know from pretty rocks.

[Frustratedly:] Like, oh my gods. Every single god I have ever met. All of them. Up to and including Inari-Ōkami. For the love of baby Jesus in his mangery crib. Put me back. I want to speak to the manager. Yeah. The spell manager.

Fix this, Obama.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, it is. And you're on what is considered the 'internet' here.

There's no Snapchat?!

[Priorities, Aly.]

Darling, there aren't even, really cellphones.

Yeah. Of course not. Why would there be.

This place is so technologically impaired I might as well be home. [Not on Earth - in her sensei's domain. Big ol' forests don't exactly have Apple Stores.]

If Home is so technologically impaired, how do you know about technology?

There's home and there's home. I'm talking about the latter.

[Stealth Casino Royale reference!]

[ Ah, the difference between wherever she's staying, and England. She gets the point. ]

I understand. Any other questions?

Nah, I think I've got it for now.

[It may seem rude, but she's not going to thank her. Who knows, she might owe the woman something later if she does.]

Good lookin' out, though. Apprece'd.

Anytime, darling. Oh, and whenever you find yourself in need of a job? The Shaded Lantern is always looking for extra help.

What's the Shaded Lantern when it's at home?

It's a brothel. A rather well-run one.

Uuuuuuhhhhhhhh..........

[A blush creeps up her neck, marching right up to her eyes.]

.........I'm good.

[ She's not laughing at least? ]

Suit yourself, darling.

I'm a little young for that.

Also, literally zero interest.

Thanks for the offer, though.

Got any other ideas?

[ Prudish Mortals. ]

There's working at several Foreigner businesses, the police, or the hotel.

[She's not exactly prudish - you should hear the jokes she makes with her friends, she's a high schooler - but she's not into doin' the sexytimes. Aside from not giving a flying rat's ass about the whole sexcapades, she's got more important shit to do.]

You think they'd hire someone whose only job experience has been dog-walking and co-moderating a subreddit?

I don't see why not. I was hired at the Healer's Guild and it had been a while since I worked in the field.

[Aly eyes her.]

What, were you a baby doctor like Doogie Howser?

[She has The Suspish now.]

Nurse, right out of high school, did the whole college and high school at the same time.

[Yeah, that still doesn't sound like a thing, but she's not about to push the issue. Isn't nursing school a thing? Like a required thing?

She's gonna keep an eye on you, Heather. You're not a great liar.]

Dang. You must be smart. Meanwhile I'm in, like, three AP classes and I'm on the struggle bus.

Definitely wasn't easy. But, since my college courses counted for high school credit, it worked out well for me, even if I was taking six classes at once.

[That sounds extremely not true. You can take high school classes for college credit, Heather. Not so much the other way around. Hence, Aly mentioning her APs. Catfished!

Still - she doesn't call Heather out on it. This is interesting. Why the fuck she lyin'? Why she always lyin'? Hmmmohmygod, stop fuckin' lyin'.]

I think I'd lie down on the floor and die if I had to take that many college credit-worthy classes at once. My friend's in an IB program and has literally zero spare time. She sleeps like five hours a night.

[ Actually you can, it has various names, but, most call it a variation of "College Credit Plus". Go ask Brigid. ]

Yes, sleeping was at a premium, but I now can work as a nurse anywhere. Well, and at the Lantern.

[She doesn't know that. They don't have that where she's at.]

Two jobs, huh? You've gotta be rolling in it. And still not sleeping.

I sleep, when I need to. Rosyn is very kind to work around my other schedule and Raine is quite happy to let me work both jobs.

video;

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video