thebastion | (Day 70) [Open; like so!] Apple Gels; almost like candy but fixes those bruises.

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(Day 70) [Open; like so!] Apple Gels; almost like candy but fixes those bruises.

Who: ~~Lady~~"Duke" and hopefully everyone else at somepoint!
Open: Open
When: Day 70
Where: Near the monument -> Some space near the apartments, facing over the river
What: Duke would like to know things about any intended structure among the bastionites, and hopefully get some help for those people who can't fight.
Format: Action, GO HAVE FUN WITH THREADJACKING.
Warnings: HOPEFULLY LOTS OF TALKING??

[ So it probably really wasn't Duke's place to try to figure this out, but after all the missions, and the people showing up - and Seimei's comments - it was feeling like a bit of a good idea.

There was no real need for a rigid structure, but some sort would be nice. So the knight is in armor as usual, although the sword is left behind, and trying to catch people after breakfast. Hopefully Duke can gather a group, because this really ought to be a group discussion. But it all starts similar enough- ]

Excuse me. If you wouldn't mind sharing, what's your opinion on a loose structure of order? At the very least, a system for keeping track of where everyone is. And if you can't fight, are you interested in learning, or simply learning something else?

[ Because they do not need missing teenagers, or people running off alone, only to end up confronted with a creature they can't deal with on their own and someone to protect. Sorry, Rin. And really, the knight's just worried about all these teens... ]

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[ Offering a little bow of his head in regards to the applause, Seimei smiles and winks before rounding his attention on Duke. ]

To be completely honest, I believe all of us have one thing in abundance: time. There is nowhere to go and nothing to do except train, build and socialize. And while normally I would be content to rest and watch others run about wearing themselves down, I feel compelled to be more...social.

[ He arches a brow and glances sidelong at Rin before smiling at Duke and Kaoru. ]

I was recently inspired to believe that what and who I am could face unfair scrutiny if I do not make an effort to adapt to those around me. So...should anyone wish to learn the art of onmyodo, or how to properly wield a tessen, I am makingmyself available. One need only ask.

[Rin shifted a bit under that glance, tugging on the edges of her vest simply for something to do with her hands. Her tail twitched, and she almost didn't jump back in to the conversation, but the thought of suddenly being so quiet just didn't sit well with her. She had no reason to not contribute, right?]

And even if you can't... I mean there's nothin' sayin' everyone has to be a fighter. There's a lot to do around here, too. Chores and other jobs. You could learn somethin' from one of the people who were here from the start or offer other skills like I do in the kitchen.

The more people we get, the less we're gonna need everyone on trips to the Skyway.

Ah ha! Not to interrupt but, speaking of the kitchen, Lady Rin...you wouldn't happen to be able to round up some fried tofu? Or...perhaps some sake?

[ If Seimei had a tail to wag, it would have, his dark eyes glittering hopefully. He wasn't about to admit that he'd gone two days without eating hardly at all simply because he felt it rude to ask. ]

Tofu? No... sorry, I haven't found any in a coupla weeks. I'll keep an eye out for it the next time I go out, though. If you don't like meat, though, I can try a few other dishes.

I think I've got a half a bottle left of sake, though.

[ He very nearly pouts until she mentions the sake, his expression brightening as he perks up. ]

I would be forever in your debt if you allow me access to the sake. For that, I offer my services freely to all in the Bastion. Especially you, and the young man. You as well, of course, Dear Duke.

[ Here's an awkward smile. Why does Duke keep ending up with the 'dear'?

Ah, but on the mentions of food- ]

Isn't tofu made from soybeans? If someone knows how to make it, we can see about growing soybeans.

[ Although Duke doesn't really know. ]

[...as if things weren't vast and confusing enough. Now there's voodoo involved. He must have zoned out because the subject had turned to... sake and tofu, of all things? He pulls a smile.]

...please forgive me. Everything is still very... [Overwhelming? Scary?] very new to me right now and I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. But if there's one thing I have on my hands it's the time to learn [a small nod to Seimei].

I can make clothes, though. It's just without decent equipment it will take some time... [just throwing it out there...]

Edited 2013-05-26 21:43 (UTC)

Yeah, it's soybeans--

[Wait did Kaoru just say...

The rest of the conversation was forgotten at exactly that second. Rin was not a "girly-girl" by any stretch of the imagination, but months of surviving off of whatever discarded clothing they could find, her beat up uniform and one outfit given to her by the Caeldonian people that was good for some Skyway protection and not much else had left her with a burning need for something new.]

... you can make clothes?!

[blinks at the reaction] Well, yeah. My mother's a designer, I've been playing with fabric all my life. I can hand sew, it would be pretty pathetic if I couldn't, but it just takes much longer than machine work.

[poor example, but here. He holds out his ridiculously ornate sleeve for you to inspect] I swear my own designs aren't like this, this is all I've got. It was a commission for... for a friend. He likes to get us to dress up in ridiculous costumes.

((Crashes through posting order to tag before running to work))

That's perfect! I think I have something for you to do!

[And without giving anyone a chance to respond or even ask her what it was, Rin had taken off, running back to the apartment building for... something.]

[Well that was... odd. Kaoru glances between Seimei and Duke as if either of them can offer an explanation]

...did we just get ditched?

Rin found bolts of fabric when we explored the market not too long ago.

[ Sorry Rin, Duke spoiled your surprise. ]

[ Seimei had remained quiet for the moment, surprised by Rin's enthusiasm. A slow smirk grew on his face before he walked in closer to speak more personally with Duke and Kaoru. Standing closest to Kaoru, the onmyoji narrows his eyes at the sleeve. ]

Your skills would have been very popular where I am from. And I admit to a certain level of enthusiasm of my own. As you can see--

[ He raises his arms in a grand gesture, wide sleeves snapping and he poses briefly, showing off his extremely rich Heian fashion - clothes that would cost thousands of dollars to be made in modern Japan. ]

-- I have very particular tastes and needs. If fighting turns out not to be one of your talents, I can assure you, everyone here can benefit from a tailor.

[ He folds his arms once more, tucking his hands into his sleeves and narrowing his eyes slowly, giving Kaoru the same up and down look as he had given Duke days before. Eventually he turns his eyes on Duke. ]

I wanted to mention, should you need anyone to practice with for use of a sword, I am also trained in the tsurugi. It is a long sword with a wide blade sharpened on both sides. It is not my preferred weapon, but it is one I have mastered the use of.

Really? [bolts? That 's' was reassuring. Of course, Kaoru was used to his mother's endless supply of fabrics, the racks stretching long and tall for what felt like a whole floor of their house; big enough that he and Hikaru could play hide and seek there as children...

But he had to be realistic - there was hardly going to be an exhaustive collection of materials on hand. But with luck, they wouldn't also all be stuck in different adaptations from the same fabric.]

Well, I guess at the very least it's a start. [tilts his head at Seimei a little. What’s with that look?] Yeah, I've put together Heian-style clothes before. If there’s enough of the right fabric and the right equipment, it shouldn’t be a problem. It depends on what we have, really.

[ Seimei smiles and arches a brow, nodding slightly in response. ]

I happen to know of a man particularly good with tinkering. If there is something you need to facilitate your skills, Solarin-san would likely be very capable. I am more accustomed to people using a simple needle and thread so I am afraid I can be of no help. Ask for anything else, however, and I will do what I can.

[ Seimei you're a spotlight hog. Duke doesn't mind, just thinks its a bit funny. ]

Anything you can do is much better than anything I can do, at the very least. I can fix my own clothing, but... Don't look to me to put anything new together.

[ And the knight prefers the relative comfort of the armored uniform anyway. ]

Someone to practice with would be great. I'll let you know if monsters aren't enough.

[ Because it was second focus. ]

[And she's back! Completely unaware that Duke had ruined her surprise. Not that it matters, given that Rin is carrying about ten full bolts of various fabric in her arms, and a pack on her back that has what looks like some remnants and strips of others stuffed in it with a few sticking out over the edge.]

Would this be somethin' you could work with?

[so much fabric, and he reaches out to help, the gears in his mind already spinning overtime. Clothes are a good start, but there are so many other things he can make to start making the apartments a bit more liveable. Though clothing comes first, obviously.]

This... is definitely a good start. I can get started on sketching some ideas and figuring out how to manipulate them.

How remarkable...

[ The onmyoji leans in, gripping a bit of fabric and sliding it between his thumb and forefinger thoughtfully. ]

You know, for scavenged goods, this isn't very bad. It points out a future issue as well.

[ He turns to Duke, arching a brow and gesturing vaguely in no particular direction. ]

As things progress, if people keep turning up, we're going to absolutely need a form of government. And services provided will have requirements. Think about it.

[ Dusting himself off lightly, Seimei paces a few steps away, then gestures with both hands outstretched to either side of him. ]

Assume my right hand is Kaoru, or Rin, or even you. My left hand is basic needs and standard demands.
Kaoru tailors, Rin cooks, you train others. More survivors arrive. Where before there was largely a balance of supply and demand with so few people in the Bastion, eventually the survivors needs far outweigh the supply, consisting of the materials and more importantly, the services you offer.

[ Here he tilts his left hand down for emphasis, his right hand shifting up. ]

Then, people demand things they don't need. They want comfort to combat whatever they are feeling in the wake of being uprooted from their lives.

[ More tilting to the left. ]

You three struggle to provide, either out of a a feeling of obligation or duty, or a means of forgetting your own problems. And that helps a little.

[ He tilts a little more towards the right. ]

But exhaustion weighs in. More demands fill the hours and without others trained in the skills, your talents in constant demand, you eventually fall prey to weariness, you become swamped with concerns that are not actually yours to carry and the feeble pyramid of poorly constructed government collapses because you have no system of trade, no leader to act as a strong fulcrum and no buffer between yourself and those you provide for.

[ Both hands drop to his side as he tilts his head to regard them all. ]

You need to decide what your system of payment will be. You may provide the basic amenities for others initially, but there will always be those unwilling to do work for what they know they can get for free. So you need to establish now, before you provide a service, precisely what the service will cost. Money serves no purpose now, a barter and trade system is the best bet. You need to decide what you're going to ask of people who have no marketable skills. Sometimes its as simple as bring me the materials necessary. But always be sure to ask for what you need as well. Food in return for shirts, shirts in return for food, food or shirts in return for training. And when other people arrive, have them farm and garden, have them build and clean. Even if they have other skills, until those skills are useful, they have to trade in what is needed at that moment.
Supply and demand is a basic concept of -every- culture and community. And it is most often the foundation that makes or breaks a growing village. You start with farming and consistent supply of food, then work your way up to other amenities. You can survive without clothing, you cannot survive without food. Normally. I'm sure some people are an exception to the rule. Hopefully they'll understand the merit of assisting others in the community until they find where they fit in the grand scheme.

[ He sighs, folding his hands into his sleeves once more and frowning in thought. ]

I'm going to begin gardening. The sooner I can get seeds, the better. Flowers and vegetables, some fruits. Eventually, I will provide foods, fibers and dyes. Until then, I will offer training and labor. If I must. I despise hard labor but the work is there and someone has to do it.

[Rin tried to listen. She really did. But after a while it began to sound like a school lesson where the teacher was just lecturing on and on, and those were the moments she would easily space out, or fall asleep out of sheer boredom.

But she tried. And somewhere towards the end she grumbled and dropped down to her knees next to where she had set the fabric down for them to look at, a hand to her head.

Nope. Can't do it.]

... my head hurts.

[Where was Bon when she needed him to explain things in simple terms?]

[ ~~Great wall of words, Seimei!~~

Duke nods, a slight look of concentration. Okay, there were lots of good points, but there was a whole lot of them. ]

I don't think something like - something like how the Empire ran - would be of great use here. We're too small a population for that. The Guilds were all smaller groups, and while their rules changed depending on what they worked on, they generally had the same ideas. Don't go against what we stand for - in this case, survival as a whole - don't make any nasty messes with your guildmates - so if you have a problem, bring it up with them, with the person considered in charge, or maybe the founder.

I agree that anything that isn't ... clothes, shoes, food, armor, weapons, information, hygiene needs.. ought to be harder to acquire. [ Sorry Kaoru, all you teenagers. ]

Although perhaps best would be a swap of services for things beyond basics "this is how you hold it and don't hurt yourself." I'd rather have someone trying to fetch items after they know some way to defend themselves.

[ Rin, you look lost- ]

Say Rin, someone keeps badgering you for food. But they don't go on skyway trips, and they don't even bring you the stuff from the farm. It's... to be a nasty analogy, like having a leech. Or fleas. I guess, in a rougher sense, we want a mass internship?

[ Is that even the right word. ]

For people, who don't have a very valuable skill. [ Duke indicates Kaoru. ] They get taken under a wing. Say someone arrives and isn't interested in fighting - but they are good with their hands, and with... an eye for sizing. Kaoru could take them in, help them learn, and hopefully they help provide clothes. Same with you and cooking, Rin.

I'll probably just ask everyone who has a different fighting style than me to keep an eye on those who want to learn how to fight. If they think.. they can do it better, or that a different style would suit, they can help provide those who can fight and gather items off the skyway.

[ A smile to Seimei. ]

We have a farm now. I don't really know what all it can provide, Seimei, but it grows things fairly fast. Its over by the forge, and I do remember we found it's core mostly for food.

[That's a lot of walls of words.

Ax, however, is absolutely fascinated by the walls of words. They're what get him over to join the little gathering, deer-like hooves tapping lightly on the pavement as he walks curiously over.

Humans attempting to reform their civilization out of nothing. It's fascinating.

He's not going to interfere, but he'll watch (and maybe freak some people out just by existing).]

[Kaoru is too busy poring over the fabrics to pay complete attention to everything being said. This was good, this was good. He would need needles, pins, and ideally a mannequin. And a machine would make things faster and easier, but this was good. He could work with this. He could kill time with this.]

Basic business principles, right? You don't do something for nothing, that's just... charity. But then it's not going to be possible to operate anything as an actual business because we have to completely discount the idea of profit. ["completely discount the idea of profit". Kyouya-senpai would die]

[he pulls some fabric out of the bag - yikes. Add an iron to the list, he might be able to rescue it...]

... I think I'm gettin' it. S-sorry... I ain't the smartest demon in Gehenna. A lotta this stuff goes right over my head.

[But she really was trying, which was more than could be said for her studies back home.]

Y'know there's shards... it kinda works as a currency here, in that you can give them to the Core and receive stuff back. It helps build stuff and get more that we can work with. Only problem is that you can only really find 'em on the Skyway, so if some one doesn't wanna go out...

[They would be useless to people who weren't willing to work for them in some manner. She frowned, a faint pink creeping up on her cheeks. She should have kept her mouth shut and let the ones who knew what they were talking about figure out it...

Grumbling, she decided to join Kaoru with looking through the fabric, picking at things and lifting up a color or two to see how they looked against her skin.]

There's also a few skill sets we are currently lacking that we could definitely use here, like some kind of doctor for example. If nobody shows up with that skill, someone is going to have to learn it.

Some of the people here are from that city we keep ending up in on the Skyway, maybe we could ask them if there's a library anywhere and go there to get some textbooks to help teach people new skills.

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