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WEEKLY BULLETIN

announcements
What do you get when you combine a Catholic and a spirit child? I don't know, it's not a joke, it's just an announcement that one of the spirits-- a baby, it looks like-- has been adopted.

What an awful week, though. Both the exploration group and the distraction group did so well, and honestly? It made a difference. You guys should be proud.

On a lighter note, autumn is just around the corner! Look for temp drops and gusty weather cropping up in the next week or so.

classifieds
None.

If you wish to submit an advertisement, please drop them by the post office.

obituaries
Capt. Ben Winters: at least he died as he lived: doing something worthwhile. Thank you, Winters.

Number Five: clever right to the end.

A whole host of people have gone missing since the party... We haven't found their bodies or their lanterns yet, but I think it's safe to assume they're probably gone. Here's the list: Melisandre, Yaeris, Gene Hicks, Ahven Sychantus, Scott Ryder, Nathan Drake, Brienne of Tarth, Raylen Givens, John Constantine, Chloe Frazier, Irwin Wade, Elisha Harper, Dick Grayson, Aragorn, Rafe Adler, Billy Russo, Ben Hargreeves, Kyna Midha, Washington, Sam Drake, Daniel Riordan, Replica Riku Dawn, Eleven, Shadow Moon

[Worthy of note: this bulletin comes to you not via a newspaper, but by the network, now that Robin's connected with you guys once more!]

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Of course I-

[As always, he has to stoop to enter. This time he makes it inside without flopping forward onto his face. Just when he thinks he's gotten off easy, he stumbles into a chair. In trying to separate the furniture from his leg - which should be an easy thing - he knocks over an entire table and somehow ends up underneath it as it inverts onto the floor.

Man, he was doing so well for so long, too, but you can't have a streak of good without a streak of bad.

He waves in the general direction of Cao Pi as if to say yes, he's still fine, thanks, all good, then drags himself out from under the table with a grunt and sets about picking things back up.]

Uh. Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say.

[Yep he's prime serious preparations guy. Believe.]

[stumbling in the dark as they walk on uneven paths is one thing. Completely obliterating a table inside a building is quite another. Cao Pi refrains from checking this time, though his eyes follow the flicker of the lantern just to be sure. Otherwise, he stands back, doing his best not to roll his eyes too loudly.]

It's not important. If it's about plans, it can wait until the meeting.

[that should, at least, give them an opening to talk about other things. He's still got notions of asking about the things he saw at the grave, after all. First, though, he turns away and goes to look for cups and the tea. Better to at least make an attempt at this even though he frankly has no idea how to tea. He has people for that!]

[Ah, yep, that's acceptable. It was probably related. There's a lot to think on anyway and while he doesn't mind thinking a little out loud so that he and Cao Pi can discuss, there isn't a whole lot they can come up with right now of substance. Not until they have everyone else assembled so they can work out what they all agree to, and not until they've heard whatever it is that Will has to say.

The chair rocks a little unevenly as he sets it upright. Hm, might have bent it slightly. Oh well, it stands. So he brushes himself off and collects his poor abused lantern, then asks the spirits who eagerly pile up onto each other to mimic his height if they would boil them some water. These ones, at least, seem still present and entirely harmless, for now.]

Do you need a hand with anything?

[Rosinante offers mostly to be polite. There likely isn't much that needs to be done beyond selecting a few cups and then finding sugar, tea, and milk. He's probably got that handled.]

[Well he's got the cups, that's a start. But it's probably clear from the slightly perplexed crease between his brows, Cao Pi is not used to preparing anything in the food realm any more complicated than pouring wine. He does not have any of this handled, no.]

Which did you say you prefer? I'm used to tea without anything added.

[the spirits are thankfully a huge help, so he sidles casually out of their way and sets out the cups to wait to be filled]

This one's fine.

[Which isn't to say that he's sure he prefers it, but it's plenty drinkable. He's not sure what "English Breakfast" is supposed to mean, he'd just picked it on a whim one day and found that it's apparently just black tea, which is all he'd been going for. Whatever "English" is, they must be hardy people if all they have for breakfast is tea. Or maybe it's a joke. It's hard to know what breakfast is in a place where there's no sun and sleeping happens when you're tired.

The spirits bring over a pitcher of milk and a bowl of sugar, and so he waits at the bar rather than taking any of it to a table. Might as well not make the little things carry boiling water across the tavern.]

It ends up being something like what I've had at home, though we have lots of other kinds there too. Lots that are better than this, but I guess I'm not that picky.

[bit by bit Cao Pi is learning about other cultures and how they eat. He never had sugar, only honey and sometimes fruit, so that's new. He definitely wouldn't have considered doing any of this to tea but given his high standards, it might actually make it palatable. Or do the opposite. Hm.

Excuse him while he dips a finger in the sugar to taste]

Ah. So you like your drinks sweet. You know, it fascinates me that tea, of all things, seems to have crossed so many boundaries. Tea, and alcohol. But then, I suppose it is human nature no matter what world they come from to need to get drunk once in a while.

Coffee's the third one. Tobacco's a fourth. We all just want to make ourselves feel better.

[Shrug.]

Dunno that I'd say I like my drinks sweet normally, but it's just what most people do with strong black tea so I'm used to it. I don't normally put sugar in coffee, on the other hand. Only if someone burned it, or made it too strong.

[Idiot cabin boys are the type to never get coffee right and if he was picky about his caffeine he'd never get any work done. They could stand to take lessons from Baby 5 because when she wasn't purposefully trying to burn him, she did actually manage pretty well.

A few sturdy forest spirits waddle over and are joined by others to form a couple towers with which to pass along the heated kettle until it reaches their cups. Rosinante watches them pour carefully, happy to let them do it. Given his track record in the last fifteen minutes, he'd probably spill it all over himself.]

Those are two things I'm not familiar with. Not to say they don't exist in my world, but if they do they're from far away and haven't reached my court, yet.

[he nods his approval to the spirits, who chitter happily that they managed a job well done, and sniffs somewhat dubiously at the packet of tea before putting it in to steep.]

Well. I do like trying new things, so while tea isn't new, your additions are worth testing. What about honey, have you tried that?

Yeah, it's just harder to come by. Some islands have lots of flowers and lots of bees but it must just be easier to grow and ship sugar cane, or sugar beets. Honey's kind of a special treat.

[And usually served drizzled over pastries, or spooned onto buns with cream. Why must honey be ruined by pairing it with bread? Dressrosa is known for its honey, he recalls reading - must be all the flowers that make it possible.

The tea will have to steep for a few minutes, so standing here it is. Means it's time for another cigarette, so he lifts his lantern up onto the bar and opens the top so he can expose one to the flame.]

Anyway, if you want to get familiar with coffee and tobacco there's plenty to go around. Rastus so far hasn't had any trouble getting cigarettes.

[the slightest deadpan] I think my brief experience with tobacco is all I will ever need. But tell me about coffee...

[please get the emperor hooked on a stronger caffeine fix than tea, it'll end great]

Easy to get here, just ask the spirits. Doctor Ingram must have trained them ages ago to just always have some ready.

[In fact, Will probably isn't far away with his table piled high with empty mugs. He seems to live here. Seems to subsist on caffeine and a more intangible sort of bitterness.]

It's stronger than tea in flavor and it'll wake you up twice as quickly. It's a bean instead of a leaf, but you grind it into a powder and mix it with hot water.

Stronger than tea...

[sold. He'll totally have some later. For now let's doctor this tea with some sugar. Just a tiny bit, no need to go crazy and regret it immediately, that would be such a waste]

The world is a vast and fascinating place. Or, the universe is, however you want to look at it. So many things I could try, now that I'm dead and I have access to anything I want. [wagging a finger as he takes his cup and turns to find a nice seat somewhere.] Except, apparently, a good xiaolongbao.

[Pardon him while he waits a little longer. The tea in bags here isn't the strongest. He probably should just try doing two bags per mug one of these days. But eventually he does meander his way over after finally deciding it's steeped enough. One sugar, not too much milk. There must be some way to improve it past that based on what this town can provide but he hasn't tried too hard.

Fortunately enough, he makes it to the table without spilling his drink, sets it down, and just kneels on the floor. He should keep a stack of pillows in the corner - usually he brings one down from his room in the morning.]

What's a... that? What you said. Never heard of that.

[there's a flash of interest - it means something didn't get translated, which fascinates Cao Pi. He's working hard on figuring out the boundaries of what is and and isn't understood and how to deliberately use his own tongue. It's easier with writing but speaking is still a crapshoot of arbitrary rules.]

They are steamed buns, filled with pork. The Wu peoples of the eastern provinces make very delicious versions of them, I like to request them for a snack when no one is watching. [he smirks over his mug] It's surprisingly gauche for an emperor to be seen publicly eating peasant food, but something about the delicate steamed skins and soft dough is irresistible.

[That was some unnecessarily flowery description for peasant food there, buddy. Rosinante lifts an eyebrow, then eyes his steaming hot tea. No, better wait longer, let's not forget that was just made.]

Never had that but I guess people fill buns with anything. I don't think there's much from home I miss that I can't find here, though. Maybe umeboshi.

[That would be an utterly divine treat. Everything else he's wanted, he's managed to make on his own, but his palate isn't exactly... imperial. Stir-fries and salads and stews are all simple enough.]

Well, that's true. They do. [don't even get him started! though he wonders at the word. It feels like something he's heard before, but not with the familiarity of his own homeland. Was that something Mitsunari mentioned? It could be.] ...umeboshi. What is that? Is it any good?

[better than tinned soup from the general store?]

If it wasn't good, I wouldn't miss it.

[The subtlest of smirks crosses his face as he tests his teacup again with his fingers. Finding it hot enough to touch, he takes a careful sip. Pulls away a little too quickly because yes that still burns, and splatters a portion of it on the table. Whoops. He holds up a finger to say "one second" as he reaches for a napkin to clean it up.]

Uh, there. Umeboshi are plums. Pickled in wine, then dried. They're really sour and salty at once. But they're addictive. Supposed to be good for you too, I guess.

[oh man why didn't his cooks ever think of that?]

I love plums. I didn't know they could be pickled, that's...quite interesting. [a thought hits him which makes him chuckle dryly] Perhaps this really is hell, if it's a place bent on not giving us the things we love the most. At least, not easily. I take it Master Rastus is doing well at getting your tobacco.

So far, yeah. Cigarettes and makeup. He came through with more than I'd asked for, so hopefully this next time around he'll be able to keep that up.

[Man, he does miss umeboshi now that he's thinking about it. Damn. There were pickled cucumbers at the general store last time he'd been there, but those weren't remotely the same.]

Did you ask him for anything on the next ferry?

[Cao Pi finally tastes his tea. Hm. Not much of an improvement. Oh well.]

No, not yet. I haven't decided whether I want a brush and ink that badly or if I can live without it. Make no mistake, I like the pens with ink inside them but...well. Maybe I should make the request, so I can demonstrate the difference visually.

[well! now they're sitting and chatting nicely, what a good time to bring up terrible topics and really get to know each other.]

So. Were there any other unique experiences worth relating, out there in the forest?

Nothing I hadn't seen before. Mostly quiet, like what you and I saw. Just a lot of trees and darkness. I know if you keep going instead of crossing the fence, there's a trail that runs out that way to what Winters said was some sort of museum. Maybe I'll go there next.

[He tries the tea again, and yes, all right. This time it's easier to drink.. He thinks it's fine, but again, he's just not that picky so long as bread isn't involved. The tea is hot, a little sweet, and the little pick-me-up the caffeine will provide is always welcome.]

A museum? Hm. [what kind of valuable information might be waiting for them out there? sign him up for a trip out when things have settled down in town]

So many secrets all around us. We learn one new thing, and five more mysteries arise around it. I do enjoy unraveling puzzles but this is...far more monumental than keeping up with the imperial court.

Funny. I think I can see why, though. When you're in charge of things, you still have people advising you, and a whole history of how it's been done before to draw from. Here, we've got...

[He looks around the tavern, then shrugs. Yep. This is what they've got, all right.]

An antagonistic lighthouse tender and some darkness. And free beer.

[god it's so true, isn't it? Cao Pi practically snorts into his tea]

The perks so far are not at all worth the headache, the wine is barely passable. But you seem to have made the most of them already. Tell me, commander, is there anything else you miss? Anything more poignant than pickled plums?

Yeah. Of course. People I cared about back home. The open sea. Sunlight.

[He's never been particularly claustrophobic, but the world feels so much smaller than the one he knew. When you can't see even a hundred feet ahead, when there's no horizon, everything feels too close. Too isolated.

Being as he's dead, Rosinante doesn't expect to see Law or Sengoku or anyone else ever again. That world is gone for him, and it's sad, but he did what he could to make it a better place. Kind of failed, and he'll probably dwell on that for as long as he's here. But this world might at least get some sunlight back some day if they work out how, so that's something to look forward to seeing again at least.]

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