just gotta ignite the light and let it shine

[whattaprick]

Who: Everyone who's stupid enough to show up for this, because legal drinking ages are for people from a different century/planet.
When: Afternoon/Evening, Day 30
Where: Lakeshore
What: Local Carnival workers get wasted and set off fireworks by the lake.
Warnings: Carnival shenanigans, ie. booze, drugs, and people getting set on fire probably. Put any tag-specific warnings in your headers!

So, Wismuth happened.

Lambert's pretty willing to bet a good chunk of the Carnival is pretty happy to act like Wismuth didn't happen, but he also doesn't really care about what sorrows people are drowning or not tonight: he knows he needed this drink, and after he'd slept off the immediate exhaustion that came with running around Wismuth for nearly two weeks with the power of Creation more or less constantly burning through him, he's ready to something, anything to feel like himself again.

Fast-forward to the lakeshore. There's a huge bonfire going, a box of assorted fireworks that's been 'liberated' from wherever the hell engineering keeps their supplies, and probably a crate of wine that's going to disappear sooner rather than later. Anything else, someone's going to have to bring themselves.

[ ooc: This is a mingle log! Bring your own entertainment, food, questionable substances etc. ]

Comments

peridot's awful taste in food

[kingsroads]

Saying that Strange's taste buds aren't exactly the best is putting it nicely. After all, a short list of the things that the man's willingly put in his mouth include army rations, poisonous plants, a dead mouse, and juice from said dead mouse. You learn to stomach some terrible stuff that way and you probably get your taste buds screwed up something fierce. Strange is probably the only person here who's actually eating most of Peridot's food and definitely the only person here who thinks it's halfway decent.

It helps that he's getting drunker as the night goes on. Thanks, booze.

Strange has picked out a plate that's entirely carrots and squashes (even for someone with as fucked up taste buds as him, the mayo was a little too much). Partway through the evening, he spots Peridot and waves her over. "These carrots are delicious, by the way. A bit too salty for my taste but the texture's wonderful!"

No comment about the other vegetables.

[periphrasing]

Oh Strange. This is why you're Peridot's favorite human. When her first beckons her she's looking pretty damn grumpy, tromping over with her shoulders sagged. But when he compliments the snacks? Her whole demeanor just lights up. She actually stands up a little straighter, her tail swishing happily, and she grins.

"You like them? Really? Wait--" She looks suspicious. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"

[kingsroads]

"I'm eating them, aren't I?" said with a confused little frown. Her being suspicious made no sense. Why would he eat them if he didn't like the food, that's just silly.

"I don't like the cabbage, I'll admit that much. But I think that's more personal taste instead of your cooking."

He takes a big bite out one of those deep fried salty as hell carrots, crunching on it like one would crunch a potato chip.

[periphrasing]

Annnnd she's right back to looking elated. "HAH! I knew it, I kept reminding myself how statistically improbable it was that everyone in this large of a group of people would have such terrible taste! I knew that statistically, SOMEONE was bound to appreciate my efforts!"

[kingsroads]

Strange just continues to munch on the carrot. This thing is a lot crunchier than expected, but he's still keeping at it, entirely aware of the fact that all this salt is probably making his liver shrivel in terror.

"I don't know why they don't like them," Strange says, through a mouthful of carrot. He chews, swallows, then continues. "If there's some carrots left over at the end of the night, I'll take them back to my trailer. They'll be perfect to eat while reading!"

Which will leave Peridot with literally every other vegetable as leftovers but hey, Strange is helping a little bit.

[periphrasing]

"Great! You're more welcome to them," Peridot chirps. "It's just nice to know that my creations are being enjoyed." She sighs wistfully. "I raised all of the vegetables myself from seed to produce. All I want is for them to be put to good use."

[kingsroads]

"And you did this yourself?" he asks, with a little frown. "No help with magic or technology or anything like that?"

He wouldn't judge Peridot if she did. This is just Strange being curious because he literally has no idea how gardening works aside from seed, water, plant.

[periphrasing]

"Technically any method of action that involves using tools could be considered technology," Peridot points out, arching an eyebrow critically. "But if you're asking if I used my incredible gift for machinery to somehow boost the growth process? No. I did not. I do have a few robots that perform some of the more menial labor in my stead, but their involvement beyond that is not necessary. Growing vegetables is easy compared to growing gems." She smirks. "And for me, growing gems is already, incredibly easy."

[kingsroads]

Strange looks dutifully impressed as Peridot explains how she grew her vegetables. Because hey, he can't do it, she can do it, ergo it is impressive. Though this offers up a few more questions: growing gems? What the heck? Strange has the basics of gem physiology, but he apparently missed a spot with regards to growing.

"I assume gems don't grow in the ground?"

[periphrasing]

She stares. And then laughs incredulously. Sorry dude, she's not trying to make fun of you, this is just REALLY funny to her.

"Of course we grow in the ground. Gems are rocks. Where else would you expect rocks to grow?"

[kingsroads]

Okay, that's rude. As Peridot laughs, Strange just frowns, borderline sulking as she continues.

"Peridot, in case you forgot, the only things I know about gems are what you've told me," Strange snaps, giving her a little glare. Peridot might not be trying to make fun of him but that is straight up what Strange is interpreting this as. "How was I supposed to know that?!"

[periphrasing]

"You're not," Peridot replies, still kind of chuckling. "You wouldn't, it's just funny that you wrote off the actual way gems are made as something that wouldn't make sense when it does! It's not your fault you didn't know, but it's still funny."

[kingsroads]

"You're a sentient rock from a different planet, of course I'd write off the actual way gems are made!" The petulant whining continues, as Strange straight up embraces the urge to pout and sulk, jamming his hands into his pockets with a little frown. For all of Peridot's 'ooooh, we're gems, of course we're made like actual gems', there's enough of a difference that Strange feels it's an obvious assumption to think it's differently.

[periphrasing]

"There are some rather large, key differences, I'll grant you that," she concedes, indifferent to Strange's pouting. "Gems are manufactured with deliberate intent for an express purpose; literal rocks just kind of happen." She shrugs. "Anyway, now you know."

[kingsroads]

He knew the manufacture for an express purpose bit, at least. That lines up with what Peridot told him about the different purposes of gems. And, he doesn't know enough about literal rocks to press or clarify on that 'just happen' explanation. However, this gives him so many more questions.

"Do gems grow? Or do you spring fully formed from the earth at the size you are now?" He's betting it's the latter, but he might as well ask.

[periphrasing]

"The latter," Peridot confirms. "Having to wait for an organism to grow before it could do it's assigned job would be incredibly inefficient, don't you think?"

[kingsroads]

"It would," Strange admits, with a little shrug. "Still, us organics are used to being incredibly inefficient." What with the whole 'organics being absolutely useless for the first ten years of their life' sort of thing. Thanks children!

"I assume this means gems don't grow older, either."