013 - Video

[alternia_strength]

[It's the end of the world as we know it, and Equius has a question. No, it has nothing to do with this Christmas nonsense, though Nepeta has already probably decorated the house and Black and Blue in festive Perigree's Eve and Christmas decorations to the point where he's a little nauseated but refraining from saying anything. What the travelers do to take their minds off the coming war so that they are rested and mentally prepared is their business.

No, this is an important question. One important enough to take time out of everyone's busy holiday schedule and discuss it right here and now. He wants answers, and so he's seated and brandishing a corn dog in one hand, an extremely serious look on his face.]

I would ask, humans, as this is purported to be a confection of your crafting, what the purpose of the naming conventions related to this object are. [He takes a bite, chews half as much as he should and swallows.] It is not that I find them distasteful. They are, to date, one of your better culinary creations to my think-pan. I do not, however, understand why you would call such a thing a ... what is it? Corn Dog.

This is not bark-beast meat. I have eaten bark-beast meat. It is much gamier than this. [Another bite. At least he isn't speaking with his mouth full.] And it is not what your species refers to as corn or maize. I think, perhaps, the meal used to create the breading is ground up from corn, but why not include the husk? It's perfectly good fiber.

And why would you fry a french man, and what does it have to do with potatoes? ... Thank you for your time.

[Inquiring minds want to know.]

Comments

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[gymnast]

At least we eat normal things, like chicken and fish and stuff. [ Because bugs? Bugs are meant for birds and other animals, not humans. Or... human-ish things. ]

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[alternia_strength]

We eat cluck beasts and fin-beasts as well. I see no reason why they cannot be supplemented with grub flesh, though it's dependent upon food supplies locally.

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[gymnast]

[ She just shakes her head, resigning herself to the fact that this is similar to having a conversation with a crazy vegan who refuses to acknowledge that some people find the diet strange. Allison's fine with people eating whatever they want (so long as it's not people, of course) but some things - like bugs - just weird her out. ]

Remind me to never come over to your place for dinner.

Re: video

[alternia_strength]

... Nepeta does most of the cooking. She would insist on cluck-beast most likely. Perhaps oink-beast. She knows human preferences better than I do.

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[gymnast]

[ Oh, Equius... ] I wasn't actually serious; that's a saying where I'm from. Sort of.

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[alternia_strength]

I... do not know human sayings well. Apologies.

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[gymnast]

[ She smiles faintly and shakes her head. ] Don't worry about it. They're usually pretty weird, anyway.

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[alternia_strength]

You are one of the first humans to admit as much. It is a pleasant alteration of the usual events.

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[gymnast]

I don't really think a lot of people realize it, but when you have to explain it to someone that doesn't get it, it's kinda hard to deny. At least, I think so.

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[alternia_strength]

Particularly when dealing with this interminable number of worlds that appear to be involved in everything.

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[gymnast]

[ She nods. ] Exactly. It's like you having to explain what animals you're talking about.

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[alternia_strength]

... yes, yes it is. Particularly as some of the creatures are similar but not identical.

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[gymnast]

At least similar's better than nothing. People can get an idea that way, if nothing else.

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[alternia_strength]

Yes. Cluck-beast and bark-beast seem to translate well enough. Hoofbeast seems to require added explanation as a rule, however.

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[gymnast]

Well, there are a lot of hoofed animals out there. At least there are where I'm from. There aren't as many that cluck and bark.

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[alternia_strength]

This is something I have been informed of. There is some variety, but not so much that a second descriptor is not enough.

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[gymnast]

Which makes sense, too; they're all kinda unique.

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[alternia_strength]

For all that there is considerable variety among our own species, I believe that we tend to focus more on the sameness and the design of a beast than we do on its variety.

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[gymnast]

But we don't with our own species? Is that what you mean?

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[alternia_strength]

Most of your race I have spoken to seems more interested in variety than unity. It isn't universal, but it is common.

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[gymnast]

We're... complicated, I guess. We want to be different but also be treated as equals, which is kind of contradictory in a way, but I also think it makes sense. Just because someone looks different doesn't mean they should be treated differently.

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[alternia_strength]

Why would you wish to be treated as equal. Despite upholding the familiarity, those things that separate them are still things that make them useful in unique ways.

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[gymnast]

Yeah, I guess, but no one should be treated worse than someone else just because they're different.

Re: Video

[alternia_strength]

... there is a sense in which we agree, but a sense in which I am not sure. To some extent, the question is 'is it truly worse, or is it simply different?'

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[gymnast]

Where I come from? It's definitely been worse.