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 Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:38 pm
"I can run," Malodore said in a mock-offended tone. "Too much physical exertion and my bones start to creak, but... you were with me in Christmas Town. I managed fairly well, I think. But... si, I would love to accompany you and Luce. We go for walks in the morning in any case. I need merely swap my morning studies with walk-time. Simple." It opened its beak in a smile and got up, picking up the now-discarded pillow on the way.
The pillow had been nicely torn by Malodore's back-blades - a common enough occurrence that said pillow already had many obvious patches (as did the chair). It sighed and tossed it onto the chair. "I should really find out some weave that will resist tearing. But. First things first." It bent down and picked up Luce's leash, attaching it to her collar as she bounced around, her tail wagging happily.
Then it turned to Riley. "Come with us? Si, you should."
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:58 pm
Riley's casual, happy expression faded slowly for several reasons. At first, she thought she might have insulted him by assuming he wouldn't like to run. A different, much more powerful impulse consumed her worry and cast it aside in place of a bigger thought - that Malodore was offering to run with her in the mornings.
There was something.. inescapably exciting about the prospect. Doing the things you love with the people you love somehow made the activity so much more exhilarating.
Well. She muttered, very quietly. I look forward to that very much. Three out of my four favorite things in the world all at once. She moved to stand at his side. Running, she bent down and gave Luce a soft pet, Luce, then stood once more, eyes bright on Malodore, and you.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:04 pm
Malodore's smile grew wider (or, rather, it opened its beak more). "Hmm. What is the fourth one? Scienza? Conoscenza? Di dominare il mondo? Shall we discuss theorems or strategic troop movements while we exercise, so as to place all four in a single space?"
Luce leaned into the pet, then bounced towards the door, leaning against the tug as the leash snapped taut.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:14 pm
Riley couldn't help but laugh - an odd sound, if only for how genuine it was in comparison to the way she sounded with most other people. She moved to the door, opened it, and leaned against it's edge. Wrong, though all good guesses. It's brains, of course. If I wanted all four, I'd have to pack a snack. Now, stop sweet talking me and let's go before Luce breaks that leash.
She reconsidered that, her brows curving slightly. On second thought, you can sweet talk me all you want, but we should still get her walking. She couldn't help it. Strategic troop movements.. her mind had started churning out possible strategies without meaning to.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:37 pm
"Knowledge is close to brains," Malodore mock-protested; it walked over to the door and opened it, allowing Luce to bound out ahead of it. The pup tugged the leash taut again almost immediately in her eagerness to get going already!
"... Wait. A snack?" Malodore remembered, suddenly, when it had met Riley in the first place. Brainless frog... "So that's why the impromptu cranial surgery on that frog, back on the train..."
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:04 pm
Riley turned back, curious at his question. Had she never mentioned..? Ah, yes. the Illithid obtain nutrient value solely from the digestion of brains. Anything else is.. She waved her hand in the air, frivolity. Her eyes sparked to life as she recalled something. That reminds me! Do you remember suggesting that I try one of those jollymeals from the cafeteria, one day? I had an interesting lunch with Jericho recently, and it turns out that the burger portion of those meals did, in fact, have a brain within it!
Her excitement was short lived, and she let out a small sigh. It was quite small, however.. so crude and undernourished. It was barely a snack. Still.. it's better than the frozen kind. Her face contorted miserably.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:41 pm
"Hmm." That had planted an idea in Malodore's head; by the time they made it outside, the idea had germinated nicely. "I propose a secondary experiment. I am fairly sure a number of the meals are vat-grown. Perhaps I could obtain a very fresh specimen, install it in its own vat, and attempt to stimulate the growth of the brain? I've found some varieties can have entire organ chains. If I could encourage one to grow a chain of brains..."
Luce barked happily as she stepped out into the night; Malodore unclipped her leash and she went dashing off, running full-tilt down the path before turning and running back towards them.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:14 pm
Riley had followed his train of thought, but she had only started to understand it's implications after a moment. When she did, her steps began to slow, and her eyes went wide.
Grow.. brains..? She breathed out quietly. She took a few hurried steps to catch up with him, and stared openly. You want to.. grow brains? For me?
She was at a loss. The idea was exciting, but, more than that.. more than that..
She closed her eyes, confident to walk beside him without being able to see, for just enough time to do exactly what she'd warned him about that first time she'd kissed him. Thankfully, it required no physical contact anymore - not after having entered his mind once before. It was much easier, but no less intimate. When she opened her eyes, she had already pulled away, but her expression was just a little smug.
In case you didn't catch that, that was me saying yes.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:25 pm
Malodore paused as the feeling of - Riley - washed over it, then smiled again. "Well, I can't possibly allow one of the great minds of our time to waste away. Think of the blow to science!"
It walked comfortably in silence for a moment before continuing. "I think I can figure out how to do it. I've seen kidney chains, liver chains... the innate creativity is astounding, really. I don't know if the cultivars are spontaneously exhibiting that behavior or if it's being guided, but... given time and equipment, I should be able to figure it out. It will be a fascinating little project to work on in the evenings."
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:39 pm
Riley rolled her eyes, and folded her arms to keep her warmth in. Science. She repeated with a tease. Of course. What would it do without me?
Riley pictured a chain of brains, being cultivated, and the previous excitement over the idea itself returned. I've never considered such an idea, mainly because.. She tried finding the words for all of the intricacies of the brain, the electrical patterns, the sheer vastness of pathways.. so instead, her mind opened for a moment, as a detailed map of a brain formed in her minds eye. Hundreds of thoughts about the intricacies of the human mind were bundled up neatly into this one image.
Not to mention each mind is different. At least.. each real mind. Whatever was in those jollymeals was just a creation, it had no personality. Her eyes half-lidded. Still tasted good, though.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:27 am
"Alas, stimulating real, true thought would be difficult if not impossible on such a scale," Malodore sighed. "At least given the limitations I've observed in my samples. While they do produce organs, they don't seem to utilize any of them to great extent, condiment systems not withstanding... sometimes they scream or move slightly, but I believe that to be rote reflex. The base flailings of a barely-extant mind."
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:52 pm
Riley nodded sagely. Confirmed. The initial reactions of screaming and wiggling were involuntary responses to the stimulus of being dissected. I sensed little to no actual electrical impulse in the brain itself when it was consumed. She sounded a touch sad, but shrugged it off. It's to be expected. Creating something with that amount of vast intricacies would be impossible for someone of the lunch lady's level of expertise. I'm impressed that they had brains at all.
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 10:50 am
"Perhaps when I have more time, experience, and facilities at my command... but, for now, at least they will provide a small snack?" Malodore smiled, then paused as Luce tore past them again. What was she chasing now...?
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:15 am
They will be a vast improvement to my current situation. You can't imagine how tasteless frozen brains are. I've taken to covering them in sugar, just so I can enjoy it. She shook her head in disgust. I've become quite ridiculously attached to the taste of sugar because of it. She was caught off guard by Luce's sudden appearance, but as she tore off, Riley's eyes sparkled and she took off running to follow.
Luce! She called out, stopping suddenly and leaning down slightly. You can't catch me! She took a few steps backward, waiting to see if she'd caught Luce's attention, before turning to run back towards Malodore. She didn't quite stop when she got there, however - instead, her hand reached out to his, lightly grabbing it. If there was any resistance, she'd let go - otherwise, she used the hold to lead him in a run.
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:53 am
"Sugar?" Malodore looked highly bemused for a moment, before she grabbed its hand and pulled it along - Luce leaped happily after them, barking in delight.
Hand-holding wasn't Malodore's usual thing, at all, but... it wasn't so bad, either, was it? So it allowed Riley to take the lead, as Luce scooped up a stick (... or was that a rotting femur?) from the side of the path and charged ahead!
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