VIDEO | UN: claude von riegan

[feintofhart]

Good evening, everyone! After the month we've all had, it feels a little bit foolish to get straight back to the dreary mundanity of businesses and job opportunities, doesn't it? But life goes on, and so do we.

[ Even on camera, his smile gleams. On camera is a handsome young man, curls tamed and gelled back with tan skin and startlingly green eyes -- and dripping with more easy confidence than anyone really ought to. Behind him is a familiar sight to anyone who's been here for some time: an apothecary, stuffed to the gills with hanging bundles of plants and herbs, jars and concoctions and tins lining the the walls. Claude himself is dressed casually, in a plain white linen shirt that he nonetheless seems to wear like it's the same as his fineries. ]

For those who haven't yet had the pleasure of making my acquaintance, the name's Claude von Riegan, and I am the humble proprietor of the local Apothecary. Some of you might be aware that we suffered something of a setback a couple months ago, but I've never been one to sneeze at that sort of thing. We've rebuilt things bigger and better than ever!

And to that end... I'm hiring! I'm in need of more hands to tend to my greenhouse, to embark out into the wilderness to continue investigating the local flora and, of course, an apprentice or two to learn the tricks of the trade to keep things going even if I'm not here to do it.

[ If he dies or disappears, he means, but he has no interest in addressing something so terribly dreary. ]

I have only one caveat: if you're working in the fields or the greenhouse, I don't much care what you think of the people here. But if you're to work at the Apothecary proper, I'm firm on one rule: no matter how much we may debate about the, uh... nature of those around us who aren't us Chosen, as far as I'm concerned, they're people. Regardless of their attitudes towards us, your job as Apothecarist is to help them, no ifs, ands, or buts. We help those in need. No exceptions, even if you regard them as nothing more than bits of code. [ A beat. ] Unless I personally dislike you.

Kidding, kidding! And for the rest of you who aren't interested in work, I hope to see you at my establishment soon. These expansions won't pay for themselves!

[ He gives a little wave to the camera before swiftly cutting the feed. Toodles! ]

Comments

( video | un: revanche )

[nilhilistic]

I do require a job.

I am proficient in this. I assume you still grow poisons?

( video | un: revanche )

[feintofhart]

Ah -- bup-bup-bup-bup...!

[ It is the universal word for c'mon, shut up man. ]

That's, ah, not part of the Apothecary's offerings. And certainly not in the greenhouse.

[nilhilistic]

[ rafal squints. ]

I see.

Regardless, I have some measure of skill. If that is what you require.

voice;

[skelters]

Hello, Claude! [ cheery as always .... ]

Sounds like you need quite a few people ... Which do you think you're needing the most help with? Maybe I could come by and join up?

[ plz, he is only here to help people. what's self worth as acts of service right? ]

voice;

[feintofhart]

Vash, so good to hear from you! Looking for a job, eh? Honestly, I could use an extra set of helping hands just about everywhere. But there's a big difference between manning the shop, learning the trade, and working at the greenhouse. Which d'you fancy more?

[skelters]

Well ... they all sound really interesting! Really, I'm happy to do whatever you need me to!!

[ it might come across as sarcastic, but he really means it. ]

Are medicinal plants very different to the normal flowers?

video; un: tsuna27

[theskyaccepts]

I could...help. I think. Would it just be like, picking plants?

[feintofhart]

Working in the greenhouse? It's a little more complicated than that -- there's all of the growing of the plants that comes first. It's a science, but not a terribly difficult one. Everyone will get ample training, of course.

[theskyaccepts]

Well, yeah, I guess that makes sense...haha...

[He's trying to laugh it off, anyway.]

Well, I didn't get the best grades in science, but I used to help my mom water her garden and weed it and stuff. It's stuff like that, right?

video; un: kurama

[sinningtree]

A pleasure, Claude.

Ethlyn at the clinic suggested I reach out to you some time ago, however with recent events it seems other matters were more pressing to address in the interim.

If you're in need of assistance with the green house, I can certainly offer my services most adequately there.

[feintofhart]

Ethlyn did, did she? [ He looks pleased at that -- it's not difficult to guess that they're close. ] Well, I trust her judgment. If you're in need of a job, come in and see how you like it.

You're used to working with plants, I take it?

video; purrsona

[izanagis]

Sounds like business is good.

[His smile is pretty easy, here; it may be helped by the fact that he likes Claude well enough already.]

I'd like to help out however I can. Any areas you're lacking in?

[feintofhart]

What can I say? I'm nothing if not an excellent businessman. [ He grins at Yu. ]

We've got a few takers for everything, I think. Besides, I'm more interested in what you'd like to do. You have your pick of manual labour, or really starting to learn a new craft.

[ Both are equal in Claude's mind; there's too much to do here for most people to spend their hours filling their heads with knowledge instead of just checking in for a decent paycheck. ]

video, un: user010102

[computation]

[ Root sounds subdued, much quieter than her peppy, go-getter attitude prior to the reset. But she needs something to do; wallowing isn't in her makeup, and it's probably for the best to have a job that isn't tied to a computer all the time. ]

I'm interested in trying out an apprenticeship, if you're willing. Helping the locals isn't a problem. We're all just bits of code in the end.

[ It also aligns exactly with the Machine's morals -- no one life is more or less worthy or deserving than any other -- so Root has no issue agreeing to that perspective. ]

Thanks for the help with the reset, by the way. [ She means it sincerely; Root had kept tabs before and after the fact on everyone who volunteered to help, and she won't forget it. ]

[feintofhart]

I'm glad to hear you say that. There's a certain... callousness with the way many of us think about them, and I don't intend to have any of that in my shop.

[ He's not one for casualties. Even digital ones. ]

You're more than welcome to come in for an apprenticeship! I've been keeping a detailed log of all of my findings, and it'd be a shame for all of that to go to waste. And besides, I ought to be thanking you for helping sort out what to do in that whole mess. I happened to be very invested in that outcome.

[ That outcome being not dying, that is. Always a perk. ]

voice: @lorem_ipsum

[memori3s]

...why wouldn't they be considered people?

[ He figures there's no need to ask whether he counts as an employee. Claude already sends him on the occasional fetch quest. ]

[feintofhart]

Because... unlike us, they're a part of this 'simulation' that we've found ourselves in. I've realized some take a far more callous approach to them, in the name of their own justice. [ He offers Minato a thin smile. ] Some would argue that they're not real, for a certain definition of the word, and that they're fine casualties in this place.

[ Like, for example, the workers at Town Hall. ]

text; un: dynamight

[nitropowered]

guess I could go out and look at some plants

[Mostly he just needs some kind of income, buying Jinx birthday presents bankrupted him.]

[feintofhart]

You guess? I'm going to need a little more pep in your step to hire you than that, Dynamight. There's a lot more to it than just looking at plants, I'll have you know!

voice | un: levi

[solitarysoul]

Oh! You got it all fixed up. It looks good!

[feintofhart]

Thanks, Levi! This time when you come in for your regular order, we should be up and ready for you. Maybe I can even convince you to branch out a little this time. I've just developed a delightful lemon balm concoction that does wonders for one's nerves.

voice; un: asura

[demonicbookworm]

[Work at an apothecary sounds like something that would help him a lot with his goals.]

Hello, Mr. Claude! My name is Ruca and I would like to work for you! Um... I wish to be a doctor in the future, actually. Oh and my father is a merchant so I know a thing or two about business. And I used to do all kinds of odd jobs for local guilds.

[He's clearly a good candidate for the job, right? Just look at his resume!]

[feintofhart]

A pleasure to meet you, Ruca! You sound like exactly the sort of person I need on my team. A desire to help and a desire to learn are exactly what I'm looking for... and a desire for coin too, of course. We're not running a charity here.

What's your experience with medicine? Any apprentice work? Or just a far-off dream?

video; un: ushiromiya

[entreats]

[ Claude. Claude. Ange is so squinting at your message the moment she hears him say 'even if I'm not here to do it'.. Because she totally knows what he's implying by it. He doesn't mean any mundane 'if I have a day off' or something like that. She knows what you're like, Claude!

Ange so does not want to address her abandonment complex anymore than she already has though, so she quickly tucks away any kneejerk instinct to address that part. Instead, once she's watched the whole message and presses the button to reply-- ]

Wow, are you expanding? Setting up some sort of big chain store? I didn't know your new plan was to try and achieve some sort of weird business domination in this place.

[ .. hi, Claude, nice to see you too. At least the dryness of her tone makes it obvious she's just joking.. ]

[feintofhart]

[ Don't look at it too hard, okay, Ange!!!! ]

What do you take me for? I'm just doing the world a public service! [ He clasps one hand to his chest. ] And if I can make more coin and put a little fondness into the people's hearts while I'm at it... why wouldn't I?

[ He winks at her. ]

You can't say you feel no fondness for the discrete fellow that handles all of your private affairs, can you?