A Curious Exchange

[Neovereign]

>"I've got a phone."
->Give s small Shrug
-->"If I figure out the password I could let you play games on it as a treat."

> "Id rather have my own. Thats too short lived." She replies.
>_

[Philosopher]

>"I don't have anything else to offer as a treat."

[Neovereign]

>"I don't have anything else to offer as a treat."

> "Hm... What about you?" She asks the maid.
> The maid holds out her hand, once again.
> "What? You'll lend me a hand?"
>_

[Philosopher]

>"Careful, they exchange for anything.  If I understand correctly."

>"How many hours of physical labor would I need to exchange for shelter?"

[Neovereign]

>"Careful, they exchange for anything.  If I understand correctly."

>"How many hours of physical labor would I need to exchange for shelter?"

> Your question goes unanswered...

> "Anything huh..." The girl looks back over, before dropping a few... Coins? A generous amount too...  " Tell me what you exchange for. If i give you enough money, will you really let me eat you?"
> The coins sink into the wood, vanishing out of sight.
> "Anything." The voice answers. "Whatever you are capable of providing. Money. Labor. Greetings. Insults. Threats. Blood. Water. Rocks. Descript-"
> "Okay okay, anything, i get it..." The girl considers.
> "The better you offer, the better we will exchange for."
> "So... It is possible to trade you something that'll let me eat you?" She points at the maid. "Don't you know that's a stupid idea to agree to?"
> No answer...
>_

[Tashi]

> "It's not like that I can give something good enough in order to obtain the stand itself as my property."
> Pause, then look over to the stand in consideration.
> "... Though it is an interesting consideration."

[Neovereign]

> "It's not like that I can give something good enough in order to obtain the stand itself as my property."
> Pause, then look over to the stand in consideration.
> "... Though it is an interesting consideration."

> "Hurry and get your thing done first. I want the person running it." Rumia steps down.
>_

[Philosopher]

//I am thinking we offer physical labor for shelter and credit we can exchange later.

>"Right.  I just got to be careful, this might be monkey paw shenanigans."

>"I would like to exchange 40 hours of labor for any request that doesn't risk my life or injure my body for shelter and credit to exchange at a later time."

[Neovereign]

//I am thinking we offer physical labor for shelter and credit we can exchange later.

>"Right.  I just got to be careful, this might be monkey paw shenanigans."

>"I would like to exchange 40 hours of labor for any request that doesn't risk my life or injure my body for shelter and credit to exchange at a later time."

> Silence.
> "Guess they dont exchange every-"
> "The structure visually opposite of us from your current perspective will improve as time passes, up to 40 hours, and improve further depending on the labor you provide for us within that time. Part of said labor will contribute to later exchanges when specified to exchange such." That voice explains.
> "Oh." Rumia blinks. "Hm..." She looks over the stand, before... Turning into a mist and heading into the woodwork?
>_

[Philosopher]

>"Darn, I feel bad for her."
->"Maybe I should have told her to make sure she was more careful to word her trade," Scratch the back of our head.

>"What do you need or want me to do first for you?"

[Neovereign]

>"Darn, I feel bad for her."
->"Maybe I should have told her to make sure she was more careful to word her trade," Scratch the back of our head.

>"What do you need or want me to do first for you?"

> "There's not even anyone in here... Are they somewhere else?" Rumia's voice speaks, before that mist comes back out of the stand.

> "Bring someone willing to exchange." The voice replies.
>_

[Philosopher]

>"If you're after human flesh you could try asking how much per pound.  The cut would probably affect the value."
->Mumble into our hand, "What about meat pies?"

[Neovereign]

>"If you're after human flesh you could try asking how much per pound.  The cut would probably affect the value."
->Mumble into our hand, "What about meat pies?"

> The mist seems to form back into the girl.
> "Hm... I'll give you some of my darkness for some human meat." The girl says, holding her hand out.
> She sets a small... cube of darkness, on the stand. As it vanishes, a smaller piece of meat sits in it's spot.
> The girl quickly downs it, though seems unsatisfied.
>_

[Philosopher]

>"Does human meat taste like pork?"

>"Do the people in that village also practice cannibalism?"

[Tom]

// Interesting quest!  Mind if I join in?
> So they want us to market their shop and find customers? Doesn't sound too difficult!
> "Where would I find the closest settlement with people interested in trade?"

[Neovereign]

>"Does human meat taste like pork?"

>"Do the people in that village also practice cannibalism?"

// Interesting quest!  Mind if I join in?
> So they want us to market their shop and find customers? Doesn't sound too difficult!
> "Where would I find the closest settlement with people interested in trade?"

//Of course more can join. Who said it was a quest?
> "It depends on the person. And I doubt any of the villagers get eaten. I'm not one of them." The girl puts a hand to her chin.
> "The human village, obviously. You're an outsider to Gensokyo though. Youkai like me will eat you if you don't end up staying there."
> The word, no, the place, sounds familiar.
>_

[Tom]

// Purely informative post no actions/time pass required

> "The human village, obviously. You're an outsider to Gensokyo though. Youkai like me will eat you if you don't end up staying there."

> Who is saying this?  The shopkeeper or this Rumia person?

[Neovereign]

// Purely informative post no actions/time pass required> Who is saying this?  The shopkeeper or this Rumia person?

> Rumia
>_

[Tom]

> Look at the shopkeeper
> "Is there any alternative you could offer to what miss Rumia proposes about staying at this village?"

[Tom]

> Also this Gensokyo place where have we heard it before?

[Philosopher]

>"That would be terribly inconvenient especially if I continue working for the stand."

>Look at the shelter we bargained for

[Tom]

> "Unless you know of another way not to get eaten while living there?"

[Neovereign]

> Look at the shopkeeper
> "Is there any alternative you could offer to what miss Rumia proposes about staying at this village?"

> Also this Gensokyo place where have we heard it before?

>"That would be terribly inconvenient especially if I continue working for the stand."

>Look at the shelter we bargained for

> "Unless you know of another way not to get eaten while living there?"

> You heard of it from someone speaking to someone else about it. A dangerous land of fantasy where there are humanoid monsters and people that could go against them, like with the ability to control fire. Given its stuck with you when your name hasn't, you assume it was very important to know about.

> The shopkeeper does not answer.
> "The village is pretty much the safest place. Otherwise, you did just ask for a shelter right near it, so..." Rumia glances towards it.
> You look over to the shelter in question.
> Its practically just a bus stop, but with a larger roof and 3 see-through walls of what you believe is glass.
>_

[Tom]

> Was this some friend of ours that mentioned it to some other?

> Glance at the shopkeeper "Do you think you could teach me how to defend myself out here?  It would help me assist you with other tasks, so consider it an investment"

> Shiver at the possibility of being stuck in a village surrounded by canibals...  If we can defend ourselves and roam around we atleast have a chance at finding out more about our situation and just maybe, our way back to society...

[Philosopher]

>"You said you were a youkai.  Do you mean you're one of those supernatural creatures from mythology, Rumia?"

[Neovereign]

> Was this some friend of ours that mentioned it to some other?

> Glance at the shopkeeper "Do you think you could teach me how to defend myself out here?  It would help me assist you with other tasks, so consider it an investment"

> Shiver at the possibility of being stuck in a village surrounded by canibals...  If we can defend ourselves and roam around we atleast have a chance at finding out more about our situation and just maybe, our way back to society...

>"You said you were a youkai.  Do you mean you're one of those supernatural creatures from mythology, Rumia?"

> You dont think they knew you, but you feel like you knew them.at least
> The woman doesnt answer. Nor does the voice.

> "Hm... Mostly." She answers. "Id have eaten you as well, but this thing can provide more if I find something worth it... I dont know what would be really worth, though..."
>_

[Tom]

> Think for a moment about what Rumia could trade...
> "Maybe you could bring her other meats like rabbit, beef or pork and she'll convert them for what you want"

> Afterwards return to talking to the shopkeeper
> "Since you mentioned you'll trade for descriptions, would you be interested in hearing about civilization or technology from where I come from?"
> Assuming we really are in this Gensokyo place we can asume its fairly isolated otherwise we'd surely have heard of cannibals and supernatural abilities

[Philosopher]

>"How much knowledge of protecting myself and finding more customers could I get for my left eye?"

//Plan odin

[Tom]

>"How much knowledge of protecting myself and finding more customers could I get for my left eye?"

//Plan odin

// Haha we'd need to trade for an eyepatch after that!  Also depth perception is kind of a necessity to survive in a world full of danmaku, ever played that EoSD 3D game?
> "Or a quart of blood for that matter" // Since it's a renewable resource and likely of more value than an eye since vampires would pay good money for it

[Neovereign]

> Think for a moment about what Rumia could trade...
> "Maybe you could bring her other meats like rabbit, beef or pork and she'll convert them for what you want"

> Afterwards return to talking to the shopkeeper
> "Since you mentioned you'll trade for descriptions, would you be interested in hearing about civilization or technology from where I come from?"
> Assuming we really are in this Gensokyo place we can asume its fairly isolated otherwise we'd surely have heard of cannibals and supernatural abilities

>"How much knowledge of protecting myself and finding more customers could I get for my left eye?"

//Plan odin

// Haha we'd need to trade for an eyepatch after that!  Also depth perception is kind of a necessity to survive in a world full of danmaku, ever played that EoSD 3D game?
> "Or a quart of blood for that matter" // Since it's a renewable resource and likely of more value than an eye since vampires would pay good money for it

> "That sounds fair." Rumia responds.

> "Yes." The... Stand answers.
> They dont give you an amount... You may have to figure this out yourself.

> "Why do you have a body here if you dont need it?" Rumia questions, tugging at the woman at the stand. "Itd be better to just have a sign up."
> The girls thinks for a bit.
> "I'll "trade" you getting this body off your hands in exchange for giving you a sign that explains what you do."
> The youkai is already pulling the maid into a pool of darkness...
>_