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wildestlogs2021-10-01 09:11 pm
wildestmods) wrote in wildestlogs2021-10-01 09:11 pm
TEST DRIVE ※ 1
TEST DRIVE #1
These woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but being lost in them is pretty alarming to most people. Perhaps it's lucky you're hearing what sounds like... a party?
If you follow the sounds through thinning trees, a brick-paved road rises from the ground ahead. Keep going, and you'll find yourself approaching a bustling festival. Small, jaunty, colorful buildings line a way bedecked with flags, banners, and (of course) ever-present vendors.
Good morrow! Dost thou carest for a turkey leg? Some funnel cake? Modestly priced costume jewelry? Come right this way, dear visitor! The faire is here!
First, however, the faeries would like a moment of your time. At one of the entry gates, a spritely, brightly-dressed faerie tells you, "Tickets are long-since sold out, but joy is one currency we accept. So as long as you plan to enjoy yourselves, you may enter with a day pass. However, please read the sign. By entering, it means you agree to the terms."
The faerie points to a large wooden sign with words painted on it. The sign says something to the effect that the summer faeries are not responsible for anything that happens at the faire, and by entering you're agreeing to exempt them from indemnifying you for not offering the same magical protections they offer proper ticket holders in the unlikely event of surprise and disaster, etc etc.
Fortunately, it's actually not that different from a standard legal agreement for some kind of dangerous activity like go-cart racing. Of course faeries would be careful about any legal disclaimers for events.
USEFUL LINKS
A FAIRE SHAKE
A renaissance faire is in full swing in the woods today, or so it would seem. But no one here is just playing a part: these outsize personalities, bright costumes, and pseudo-Elizabethan voices are perfectly real.
It's the only place you can go for food and appropriate clothing. Also there's magic at your feet, drawing you towards others bound by the Quest magic, making it so all paths seem to lead to the Faire. Even if you don't want to enter, it feels like you have to, like there's something important to find.
a) The Faerie Toll
Some of the faeries are lighthearted and cheerful, with round and heart shaped faces and brightly colored clothes. These summer faeries are willing to part with some faerie coin in exchange for certain actions. Anyone that watches others take them up on their deals can see that the actions are indeed harmless, and there is no catch. Apparently happiness and frivolity really can be exchanged with the faeries here. Ways to earn a small bit of coin: physical comedy, agreeing to a round in the dunk tank (yes they have one), telling the faeries a good joke (but it really has to be a good one, by faerie standards), letting oneself getting pied in the face, and pieing someone you're with in the face, among other things. Silly dances are also in high demand, especially ones with actual rules vs. ones that are made up on the spot, with a clear preference for moves like tiktok dances, the macarena, or the Hustle.
Some of the faeries are lighthearted and cheerful, with round and heart shaped faces and brightly colored clothes. These summer faeries are willing to part with some faerie coin in exchange for certain actions. Anyone that watches others take them up on their deals can see that the actions are indeed harmless, and there is no catch. Apparently happiness and frivolity really can be exchanged with the faeries here. Ways to earn a small bit of coin: physical comedy, agreeing to a round in the dunk tank (yes they have one), telling the faeries a good joke (but it really has to be a good one, by faerie standards), letting oneself getting pied in the face, and pieing someone you're with in the face, among other things. Silly dances are also in high demand, especially ones with actual rules vs. ones that are made up on the spot, with a clear preference for moves like tiktok dances, the macarena, or the Hustle.
b) New and In Stock
You tried to steal from the faeries instead of paying their toll, or have otherwise misbehaved. The faeries like your moxie, though. They'll let you keep what you took (if you took something), but first you're gonna have to do some time in the stocks.
Will anyone take mercy on you and bust you loose? Does anyone have a tomato? Perhaps you meet someone else while they're suffering a similar punishment in the other stocks across from you. If you didn't actually steal, maybe you got framed. Or you're in the stocks with your "partner in crime" who you were falsely accused of being affiliated.
Fortunately, you won't be in there overly long. Even if you can't escape and no one busts you out, the faeries aren't particularly cruel and the absolute worst you'll get thrown your way by the crowd is a fruit.
If you push, the faeries might also let you out if someone else agrees to be responsible for your good behavior. This could, naturally, lead to both of you doing more time together.
You tried to steal from the faeries instead of paying their toll, or have otherwise misbehaved. The faeries like your moxie, though. They'll let you keep what you took (if you took something), but first you're gonna have to do some time in the stocks.
Will anyone take mercy on you and bust you loose? Does anyone have a tomato? Perhaps you meet someone else while they're suffering a similar punishment in the other stocks across from you. If you didn't actually steal, maybe you got framed. Or you're in the stocks with your "partner in crime" who you were falsely accused of being affiliated.
Fortunately, you won't be in there overly long. Even if you can't escape and no one busts you out, the faeries aren't particularly cruel and the absolute worst you'll get thrown your way by the crowd is a fruit.
If you push, the faeries might also let you out if someone else agrees to be responsible for your good behavior. This could, naturally, lead to both of you doing more time together.
c) I'm Just Here For the Turkey Leg
Wandering lost in the woods is hungry work. Maybe you know better than to eat food offered by faeries, but the humans of the faire should be safe enough, right? Where else are you going to find a whole turkey leg, a funnel cake, or a cold beer around here? The lines can get pretty long though, and sometimes orders get mixed up, or someone swipes what was yours! Maybe they bump into you and spill food down your front. Or perhaps you see someone with no money and decide to offer to share.
Some of the food seems out of this world or is clearly made for a more alien palate (not always in an appetizing way). Most of the food has big enough portions if you're not the only one eating
Wandering lost in the woods is hungry work. Maybe you know better than to eat food offered by faeries, but the humans of the faire should be safe enough, right? Where else are you going to find a whole turkey leg, a funnel cake, or a cold beer around here? The lines can get pretty long though, and sometimes orders get mixed up, or someone swipes what was yours! Maybe they bump into you and spill food down your front. Or perhaps you see someone with no money and decide to offer to share.
Some of the food seems out of this world or is clearly made for a more alien palate (not always in an appetizing way). Most of the food has big enough portions if you're not the only one eating
d) Surely, You Joust
Whether you're just watching, betting on the outcome, or have convinced someone to armor you up and put you on a horse, the jousting tournament is a major event! Will anyone be able to unseat the intimidating Black Knight? Have you started a rivalry with a competitor you just met in a line twenty minutes ago? Are you helping another member of the squad by pumping them up for their match? Or are you just over here to see how many horses you can pet without anyone noticing?
Even those not interested in the competition might want to give it a whirl. There are different rewards for unseating certain levels of competitors like food supplies, flasks of boozeahol, small bags of silver or gold, and weapons of moderate quality, like swords, knives, or bows.
For those that don't own their own armor and lances, some light armor and lances are on loan but the armor is all dinged up and the lances are easily broken, putting someone using them at a disadvantage.
Whether you're just watching, betting on the outcome, or have convinced someone to armor you up and put you on a horse, the jousting tournament is a major event! Will anyone be able to unseat the intimidating Black Knight? Have you started a rivalry with a competitor you just met in a line twenty minutes ago? Are you helping another member of the squad by pumping them up for their match? Or are you just over here to see how many horses you can pet without anyone noticing?
Even those not interested in the competition might want to give it a whirl. There are different rewards for unseating certain levels of competitors like food supplies, flasks of boozeahol, small bags of silver or gold, and weapons of moderate quality, like swords, knives, or bows.
For those that don't own their own armor and lances, some light armor and lances are on loan but the armor is all dinged up and the lances are easily broken, putting someone using them at a disadvantage.
e) Everyone's a Comedian
You (and maybe your threadmate) are being teased by a pair of funnymen doing a bit, be they jesters, Punch and Judy style puppets, or a pair of washing well wenches. The audience is delighted, but are you? What are you both going to do?
You (and maybe your threadmate) are being teased by a pair of funnymen doing a bit, be they jesters, Punch and Judy style puppets, or a pair of washing well wenches. The audience is delighted, but are you? What are you both going to do?
f) Wares, If You Have Coin
You're here! You have some gold! Time to get yourself some "period appropriate" (for varying values of both words) gear. Have you found a shopping buddy? What if you resell some goods you just picked up at a slight markup? Are you suspicious of the quality of a vendor's goods? Maybe this item over here is the last of its kind, and you and this stranger want it!
You're here! You have some gold! Time to get yourself some "period appropriate" (for varying values of both words) gear. Have you found a shopping buddy? What if you resell some goods you just picked up at a slight markup? Are you suspicious of the quality of a vendor's goods? Maybe this item over here is the last of its kind, and you and this stranger want it!
g) Stop! Thief!
Someone picked your pocket or snatched something out of your hands! It might even be your thread partner. Do you give chase? If your threadmate isn't the thief, are they helping you chase the thief down or getting in your way?
Someone picked your pocket or snatched something out of your hands! It might even be your thread partner. Do you give chase? If your threadmate isn't the thief, are they helping you chase the thief down or getting in your way?
h) Archery Range
Are you taking the chance to start learning a new skill on the practice targets? If it's any incentive, several fair maidens and handsome young fellows are hanging about, flirting with the best shots. If you're already good, you might be competing in the archery competition for a prize! The targets are close enough you can make conversation with the person one target over.
Are you taking the chance to start learning a new skill on the practice targets? If it's any incentive, several fair maidens and handsome young fellows are hanging about, flirting with the best shots. If you're already good, you might be competing in the archery competition for a prize! The targets are close enough you can make conversation with the person one target over.
i) Fortune Told
A stubborn young blonde woman in a long purple robe with a pointed hat - one that looks more than a little bit witchy - is determined to read your fortune for you. Loudly. Whether you like it or not. She has to demonstrate her skills to drum up business, you see! Now please hold your hand still, she just needs to get a good look at your fate line...
(Note: Players will have to npc the fortuneteller says in their thread and can go absolutely wildly wrong. However, sometimes the fortuneteller suddenly gets more intense and guesses a few things closer to the truth...)
A stubborn young blonde woman in a long purple robe with a pointed hat - one that looks more than a little bit witchy - is determined to read your fortune for you. Loudly. Whether you like it or not. She has to demonstrate her skills to drum up business, you see! Now please hold your hand still, she just needs to get a good look at your fate line...
(Note: Players will have to npc the fortuneteller says in their thread and can go absolutely wildly wrong. However, sometimes the fortuneteller suddenly gets more intense and guesses a few things closer to the truth...)
j) Out of Water
You draw attention to yourself with your behavior, or by how strange your manner of dress is (according to the faire folk, anyway.) Perhaps you have a still-functioning small electronic like a smartphone that's unlike anything they've ever seen. People are starting to give you the stink eye or ask you invasive questions. Will your threadmate help you out?
You draw attention to yourself with your behavior, or by how strange your manner of dress is (according to the faire folk, anyway.) Perhaps you have a still-functioning small electronic like a smartphone that's unlike anything they've ever seen. People are starting to give you the stink eye or ask you invasive questions. Will your threadmate help you out?
k) Bargaining With the Fae
There are some faeries here that are different from the sunny, cheerful summer faeries running the fair. These are the winter faeries, more ethereal and elegant, more immaculately dressed in finery that's a little too fancy for the event. Despite their beauty - or maybe because of it - these faeries are...colder. Many of them are busying themselves with maintaining magical lanterns around the edges of the faire. If asked, they tell your character they're handling security and to bug off.
But some of them maintain stands in shadier-looking areas of the faire. They're willing to offer more in exchange for greater payment. Warm, durable clothing to cut through the slight chill that comes at evening and night time. Swords made of much stronger metals than can be found elsewhere, of better make, with edges that take forever to dull. Bows with strings that rarely ever break.
Their deals are definitely backhanded though. For payment, they might say something like "we could really use your view on something, just a half hour of your time" and instead of having you participate in conversation where your insight is welcome, you lose your ability to see for a half hour.
These effects are unpleasant but usually temporary, lasting no longer than a half hour or so - but it's not like they'll tell you that. And if you try to go back to the stall afterwards to confront them, they'll have mysteriously disappeared. You'll at least get to keep whatever your bought and it will be of good quality, but the joke is definitely on you.
There are some faeries here that are different from the sunny, cheerful summer faeries running the fair. These are the winter faeries, more ethereal and elegant, more immaculately dressed in finery that's a little too fancy for the event. Despite their beauty - or maybe because of it - these faeries are...colder. Many of them are busying themselves with maintaining magical lanterns around the edges of the faire. If asked, they tell your character they're handling security and to bug off.
But some of them maintain stands in shadier-looking areas of the faire. They're willing to offer more in exchange for greater payment. Warm, durable clothing to cut through the slight chill that comes at evening and night time. Swords made of much stronger metals than can be found elsewhere, of better make, with edges that take forever to dull. Bows with strings that rarely ever break.
Their deals are definitely backhanded though. For payment, they might say something like "we could really use your view on something, just a half hour of your time" and instead of having you participate in conversation where your insight is welcome, you lose your ability to see for a half hour.
These effects are unpleasant but usually temporary, lasting no longer than a half hour or so - but it's not like they'll tell you that. And if you try to go back to the stall afterwards to confront them, they'll have mysteriously disappeared. You'll at least get to keep whatever your bought and it will be of good quality, but the joke is definitely on you.
l) Wild Card!
You can make up anything your character might reasonably see at a normal Renaissance Faire, or place an encounter in the woods nearby! Go wild!
You can make up anything your character might reasonably see at a normal Renaissance Faire, or place an encounter in the woods nearby! Go wild!
❧ This counts as a plot and is part of game canon! This means that new players aren't the only ones that can make top-levels. Current characters can be thrown in like it's any other plot or event. The default for threads is that they're game canon if all characters involved are apped in or already in game, but prospective players may opt out and consider a thread non-canon if they're not happy with it.
❧ Feel free to play around with powers. If your character has powers from canon you want to play around with, go for it. If you'd like to test out possibilities for game powers, also go for it. Feel free to change it up from thread to thread if you need to. If you want to keep a thread as canon this can be handwaved as the magic making characters' powers shift a few times before settling.
❧ Potential players may use test drive threads as their log samples. However, at least one post in their thread must fit the requirements for apps, and in quality and length (200 words). If you do plan on using a thread as a sample, please make sure the writing throughout your threads is a good example of your writing skills and has some solid examples of the character's voice.
❧ Players can count TDMs towards AC, with the same AC rules as any other threads.
❧ The game is invite-only. Players without invites are allowed to tdm since some of them may know someone in game to ask for one, and since some people enjoy TDMs just for fun in games they don't plan to app into. But an invite is required during the apping process.
❧ The game is at a starting cap at 30 players. Right now the current number of invitees is likely to not exceed the game's 30 slots, but if we go a few over they will still be allowed to app during this first round. Future apps will be rolling apps and will have a wait queue if the cap has been exceeded.
❧ Invites at game start are limited to current and former players of the mods' previous game Piper90 (
piper90), former players of the first incarnation of Wilderlands (wilderlands, and people friended to the main mod's plurk. If any of those individuals want to invite someone outside those pools in the first app round, they can request it when the mods make a headcount of potential appers. If the game will be under (or only slightly over) 30 players to start, some extra players may also be invited, but the mods want to limit it to exceed the player cap too much. ❧ The first game round will be apps only, no reserves. Apps open: 10/15/21. Game start: 11/01/21
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"Someone should be taking better care of you," she says, mostly to herself. Clearly she'll be doing the person running the place a favor taking this sword off their hands if they're going to let it molder like this.
She glances around, almost idly, looking for the source of the attention on her. It's not an unexpected sensation, she's used to people paying attention to her. She's a pretty girl, and under-dressed by the standards of the faire. But the cursory glance doesn't reveal the source of the itchy feeling on the back of her neck, so she adds a peek upwards and toward the floor in case of...she's not sure, creepy little security gremlins?
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There are some glances Stacia's way, that Need starts comprehending from her casual reaching out to the minds around her. Some staring at her, which is irritating even as it's useful. Need has no eyes, no way to know what whoever has her looks like without someone's help - in the mirrors-are-for-rich-people existence she's led so far, most people don't have the clearest and most accurate picture of what they look like right at hand.
Hmm, that's an attractive image. Need chuckles, a deep, throaty not-a-sound that seems like it's coming in not through Stacia's ears, but some point between them. :You're... probably... right,: she croaks, her voice slow and extra rough from sleep and disuse.
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:Hello?: she hazards, not sure if the voice can hear her thoughts or only project their own. :I don't think we've been introduced.:
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:Look down. Maybe... draw the sword.: She's rousing, her intelligence coming back. Not yet enough to remember that she doesn't generally like this to happen while people are watching, but it's not like they'll see it clearly, not without being in touching range.
If Stacia pulls her from her sheath, her blade will light with writhing, ethereal blue light that twists into letters she can read - WOMEN'S NEED CALLS ME, AS WOMAN'S NEED MADE ME. HER NEED WILL I ANSWER, AS MY MAKER BADE ME - before fading and sinking back into the metal. It's a thing.
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"...Huh," she says aloud, a smile spreading across her face. :I've got a few friends who would love you.:
There's not a Black Fury alive who wouldn't want a magic talking sword made specifically to defend women.
:What sort of spirit are you?:
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:The human kind. Child, if I said... what I was it wouldn't mean anything to you. That knowledge... long lost. Probably for good reasons.: She's getting better at Mindspeech as she goes, though her voice is always going to be gravelly.
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It's a very nice blade, actually. Stacia's not usually one for melee weapons, but she familiar enough with them to recognize that much. Better keep it - her? - in the sheath when she goes to haggle, just in case the seller hasn't looked too closely at the blade.
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:Make sure you remember that you're buying the right to carry me off, not own me,: she grumbles, rather than answering. :I go to who I go to, not whoever has the most coin. Hell's teeth.:
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Speaking of...
:Is there something in particular you'd like me to call you? I'm called Stacia.:
Okay, it's a bit of a test too; she wants to find out how psychic the sword is. Because she's not just called 'Stacia', she's also called Nothing-to-See-Here, and that's probably weird enough that the sword will say something if she picks that up out of Stacia's brain.
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It's very rare that Need is actually sold. Even when she's asleep, enough of her is functional that she can indicate to her old bearer that she's chosen who she wants to be passed to. Sometimes she's an heirloom or in an armory somewhere and the people looking after her, maybe even using her without any particular bond, understand that she will take to someone on her own time. But, well, it's happened. She can always get out of the wrong hands, if they're too wrong to even tolerate as a conveyance to someone more suitable, but it rankles to be in that kind of position at all.
:So that's your human name, is it?: Need can tell there's some test of her abilities going on, but she prefers not to give that kind of thing away. Better to have an ambiguous answer, and besides, she doesn't generally go for a deeper probe unless she has to. :I've got one of those. It's... hm.:
There's a distinct pause, and a sense of chagrin. :Would you believe I've forgotten? If that doesn't sound like senility, honestly... Call me Need. It's been the right name for a lot longer anyway.:
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'Human name' is an interesting enough reveal anyway. Her giggle at the admission of 'Need' is much friendlier.
:That's fair. I don't think I know the legal names of the half my friends who even have them. It's nice to meet you, Need, allow me escort you out of this particular annoying situation, hm?:
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She shares a wash of dry, sardonic humor. :Lead on, young lady. See if you can find out how I ended up in a sale heap.:
Just out of principle, if the one profiting off this is a woman she won't press for as much haggling down as she would otherwise. Yes, even with how unsavory the situation is.
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How inappropriate is growling like a wild animal in this situation? If things keep going the way they are, they're going to find out...
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She's not as calm about this sort of thing as she seems. Need has too much composure and experience to let it slip easily that she has a vast and volcanic rage at the disregard of men for women, that shows even in exchanges like this. This nobody's thoughts may not be violent but they're not good.
:Bring out some contempt,: she advises. She can go on from there; Need has seen a great deal of money change hands in her time. :Straighten your back, pull your shoulders square. He's not worth your time.:
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She's used to things not being fair. It pisses her off every time, but she's used to it. She's even used to figuring out how to make it work in her favor most of the time, but she just doesn't have the patience for it today and her Rage is making some very tempting suggestions regarding the usefulness of violence to turn the tables in her favor.
But Need is right. There are other ways. And Stacia is surprisingly good at being contemptuous when she puts her mind to it, as the man's change of expression proves.
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Other than that, Need is quiet. She can split her attention and have a few simultaneous conversations at once but that was something that had taken time in developing. It's distracting for most people, and through the shopkeep she can see that when she talks to Stacia the girl's expression changes slightly, not enough that he's noticed.
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It takes awhile, but ultimately Stacia does walk out with Need in hand.
:Well, except for the parts where I wanted to throttle him, that was fun.:
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She's glad to leave. There was a scrap of thought there about buying her off of a pickpocket, of all things, which is worth some indignation. If she's stolen, she likes to have a say in it!
:It's a useful skill to develop. Both not throttling people, even if they may deserve it, and some light manipulation. You get some stubborn bastards who'll set a hard line and not move from it, and you'll get a lot of others who'll throw up their hands like that,: she says with a chuckle. Need has been the stubborn bastard, when she was alive.
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:True on both counts,: she agrees. :My experience is mostly in aggravating someone until they take a swing at me, and then taking care of business while everyone else dogpiles them for it.:
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:That works too. Not afraid of having friends do that, then? I've known people who get prickly enough about their independence that the thought would horrify them.: Kerowyn, for one. Need loves her - she loves all her bearers - but that child is so resistant to realizing that her friends care about her and want to help.
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:No, I'm a big fan of letting other people remove obstacles for me,: she answers. :Knowing how to do things for myself is a good idea, don't get me wrong, but no one can be good at everything. So instead of stressing myself out about that, I like to find people whose skill sets supplement my own. Besides, how am I going to learn to be better at things without teachers?:
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:So, seems I've come with Kero's scabbard and swordbelt.: The imagery there includes a flash of someone else's sight, showing a tall blonde woman in armor with Need at her belt. :They're not exactly parade-clean, I know, but if you don't mind that, I can show you how to buckle these on so you can keep your hands free. Your options are to have me over your back or at your waist. Back looks good and is more out of the way, but it's trickier to draw a sword in a hurry without risking cutting your ear or neck.:
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She considers a moment, but only briefly. :I'll go with around my waist for now. I heal fast, but not fast enough to overcome the sheer embarrassment of cutting my own neck.:
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She can generally manage to keep a bearer from slicing themselves up drawing her but it helps if she doesn't have to. :Good. So, while we're looking - care to tell me a bit about yourself?: She hasn't been probing, but she's still been picking up some 'animal' imagery, and there's an interesting sense of buried fury to the girl. Need can relate.
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:I can do that. What have you picked up so far?:
It's even technically an answer, if only one that indicates that Stacia is capable of being a little brat.
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