Scene #2182: Nobody Explained This

Owner	Pose
Entrapta	"Gah!" Her nasally voice is abrupt as the new girl enters the hallway. She frowns, slipping a bit on some fallen decoration, and pulls out her recorder. Then, she begins to speak, not caring who hears her. Which is probably odd-sounding, but people are starting to get used to it. Enissa is weird. "Date of recording, December...I can not grasp that naming system. December the...twenty-third? Yes. Okay. Seem to have walked out of my room into some sort of festival." She pauses, passing by someone with reindeer horns made out of bottle brushes or something on their head. "It appears to be some form of seasonal event. Amount of people on campus has decreased by at least fifty percent, uncertain exactly why. Colours of decorations seem to lean into primary colours." She is walking backward as she rounds a corner, still talking. "Apparently I need to get out of my laboratory more often, this must be some form of interactive..." then she walks right into someone, not watching where she's going. Which is probably her fault. Definitely her fault.
Amy Faust	Amy hears Entrapta talking, and smiles, happy to see her (or to be about to see her) and approaches the corner -- only for Entrapta to back around it -- Amy stops, but doesn't have time to dodge or process the situation and decide to take other action -- "Oof!" She stumbles back, but manages not to fall. "Hey, Entrapta! Err, Enissa." Amy glances around, but people probably don't care about hearing a different name right? "To answer your questions: There used to be a ten-month calendar before more were added thousands of years ago, so the name means tenth month, and yes, it's Christmas, which is associated with red and green and white." Amy holds out her arms to her sides to indicate herself, currently wearing a (magically conjured) festive outfit: Red-with-white-faux-fur boots and dress and a santa hat with matching striped stockings. Amy is smiling, although her smile gets a tinge of concern in it as she notes, "And most people are going home for the holidays, unless it's not convenient for them to do so... or they have no home to go to in this world." Amy looks her over. "It's been a little while. How're you doing, Ent-- Enissa?"
Entrapta	Entrapta/Enissa nearly hits the floor, sliding down Amy's side and grappling with an open locker door, til she stabilizes. Enough. Stabilizes enough. Wobbly. "Oh hi! I know you," she says, looking at Amy as if through spectacles. Though she wears none. Then she nods. She doesn't remember actually asking a question, but this is important information! "That's so weird," she says bluntly. "Where I come from...wait, can I talk about that? Nevermind," she says, as if she's going to rethink talking but then goes right on anyway without a major pause or break. "Where I'm from the seasons are locational, not due to the passing of time. You had to walk to where winter was, it didn't come to you. Such an odd world to live in." Now she pauses. "Or take a ship, or some other form of travel." That's not the important point being addressed, but she wants to be complete in her explanations. She looks out a window. "I did notice that you have motion of your planet in relation to your star. Very cool. I'm fine! I've been locked in my room for almost a week!" She smiles, as if that's...good? "I got a lot done! Why are you wearing that?" She blinks, missing a lot of data here.
Amy Faust	Amy bends her legs and reaches down to offer Entrapta a hand up. Her eyes widen at the explanation. "The seasons are... what? Then why are they... why are they even called seasons, and not... places?" Amy blinks. "Ah. Remnant of a culture from a world that ''did'' have temporal seasons, colonizing Etheria, I suppose." "Wait, you were locked in your room? Why? And," She smiles, "I'm wearing this because I can! It's festive, and... it's an excuse to wear a different outfit than I usually would." She starts leading Entrapta towards her dorm room. "Do you want to talk in private?"
Entrapta	"Oh, is this not a conversation for public?" Entrapta asks, as four people walk by listening to music. She doesn't even look at them. "I'm sorry, I'm not used to having people around." Yup. She looks around, then motions to a broom closet. "We can talk in there! And I think so, the records are varied in how much detail they offer after the loss of the First Ones." She walks toward the small, cramped closet, still chattering. "It might also be a translation issue though. I'm using the magical translation but really my thoughts aren't in this language at all!" Then, finally, "I like my room. It has my stuff in it."
Amy Faust	A broom closet?"People might think it's a little weird if we-- oh never mind." Whatever people might normally think, Amy suspects if asked saying the truth -- Enissa wanted a quiet space to talk -- is believable. It is perhaps a testament to the environment of Radiant Heart that she ''isn't'' afraid of rumors about her orientation starting. "Ah. Yeah. But, still, you have the word 'season'... or what translates to it..." At Entrapta's comment about her room, Amy laughs. "So true! I feel the same about mine. I..." Amy sighs, and leans back against the shelves. "Until a year and-- well, until all this magic stuff started, I also preferred to just stay in my room when I could. Although I expect the reason is partially different." Amy blinks as she tries to find the thread of the conversation. "So um... how have you been? Wait you answered that with the room thing. Um. Do you have any questions about this world or me? Any trouble adapting you want help with? ...Would you like another hug?"
Entrapta	Entrapta nods! "I know! There are etymological proofs all over that suggest all kinds of things! The history is there, if you know how to find it. You'd make a good historian!" She smiles, happy to find someone with a sense for language. Whatever her name is. She pauses, now that they're alone, and says, "This room smells." It Was Your Idea, Entrapta! Oi. Oh, speaking, right. "You have experiments in your room too? Are you expanding the wall too? I find it's a little dark and I need a bit more space to work, so I'm considering doing some work on the room itself, but I'm always busy with other things! Emily says that I'm working too hard, but she'll thank me when I'm done." She leans against a mop and bucket, then almost falls. No, doesn't fall. Yes. No, I'm okay. "How have you been?" she asks in return. No comment on the hug.
Amy Faust	Etymological proofs... Amy mutters the words, "The sandwich problem..." She smiles at the compliment. "Thanks! I dunno about that, history is so long and so complex... but I guess I've picked up bits of a lot of knowledge, over time." Amy blinks at the discussion of rooms. "Unless you can make the room bigger on the inside than the outside, I don't see how you could expand it... Ah. The exterior wall. Uh... I don't have the construction skills or materials to perform such renovations; let alone the lack of permission." Amy says, plainly. And then smiles. "I'm not ''usually'' experimenting, but when all you need is a computer and some software, ''those'' experiments I can do. Just little things like playing around with generative AI and trying to understand how it categorizes and labels things, for instance, not like... anything world-changing or revealing fundamental truths of the world." Amy crosses her arms and thinks on how she's been. "As for how I've been... mostly good, I guess? Had a... very spooky encounter with a Witch that made its labyrinth look like a weird haunted doll shop. But so big that we were the size of dolls, and the Witch was human-size comparatively." "Sadly, given the situation, it was all creepy and we were busy fighting to save people, rather than like... exploring a world sized for giants and focusing on how that felt, or magically turning us into dolls so we could examine that experience and how it worked, or anything fun like that."
Entrapta	Entrapta does not know the sandwich problem. She is, however, used to things being said around her that don't make sense. She ignores them but files them away to research for later. On a side note, what is the sandwich problem? "That's how all history is gathered. As you discover more information, you add to your store of data. Technically that's how all of SCIENCE works!" She sounds a bit loud, and two passing freshmen pause to listen. To her talk about science. They roll their eyes and move on. "Entrapta's being Entrapta." Wait, they know her name? Of course they do, she's awful at keeping secrets. And...don't seem to care much. Said geekette pauses, then says, "What's...permission?" She ...Oh.Princess. Never had to ask. Owned everything around her. Might want to address that. BUT SHE'S MOVING ON! "You know generative AI?? Can you take some of my programming? It'd free me up for hardware issues, even simple data entry would be a huge help! And besides, we are totally going to reveal the fundamental truths of the world! Ha! She fully plans to do exactly that, apparently. "I actually know what you're talking about! That's awesome! Do you want to talk about it? I could use more data but it's relatively low importance over the magical wavelengths and for that I'd have to have actually been on location."
Amy Faust	The sandwich problem is something extremely idiosyncratic to Amy as a term, like her saying 'sweet dreams, you deserve them.' It will have to be asked of her. "Well yeah, but there's so much history, I can't really -- Oh. I guess it means something different in a world of only thousands or tens of thousands..." She looks... awkward and embarassed at Entrapta's excitement over AI. "It's not that kind. I just have the kind that draws images of what you ask it to... with limited success. I don't really understand how it -- nor language learning models -- work." Amy looks away. "I know I like to think of myself as one of the smart ones but I'm not really that smart..." She perks up, "But, depending on what exactly you want me to do, maybe I can help a little? I don't know." Amy takes a breath. "''You'' may have all the training and qualifications, but most students don't. We can't just renovate the building on a whim-- err, do you actually want me to drill down on the reasoning? I ''would'' rather talk about... Experiences like being in different bodies, I find that ''fascinating'', if that's what you meant."
Entrapta	Entrapta is staring into space, thinking about something else for a moment. Sandwiches probably. She blinks, then returns to this conversation. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," she admits to Amy who she still hasn't recalled the name of. "Oh, I don't have any qualifications as you mean them. I just have no idea when to stop working, and sometimes I go a bit too far!" She grins, finding that hilarious. She does listen though, and when Amy is done she tries to respond. "I'm still learning a lot about your AI. There's so much to learn! I mean, I've still got a ton of math to pick up still! And science, oh there's so much science! Your world has had so many brilliant people! Though it seems that most of them were gender-sequenced to male, which makes no sense since girls are just as predisposed to brilliance, but I assume that there's a reason for that too." She doesn't know about history. Or certain aspects of it. Well, her world IS a matriarchy. "So, I shouldn't knock out a wall? I can work with what I have, it's okay. I don't really have time in a day to get it all done anyway."
Amy Faust	Amy blinks. "Then you shouldn't be knocking out walls. Do you know where the wires carrying enough electric current to kill you are? I don't." Gender-sequenced to male. Amanda chuckles. "''Sex''-sequenced to male, maybe. You're right, intelligence isn't linked to sex ''or'' gender. But..." Amy sighs. "I'll tell you a story. And then you can tell me how your world is different." "Once upon a time, humans evolved. Omnivorous gatherers and persistance hunters that work in groups. They travelled, following the food, and then one day things changed: Someone realized they could ''farm'' the food, and stay in one place. But this changed their way of life." "Now, you have a hearth and a home. And the garden or ranch you work. Suddenly, there is more... ''stuff'' a person can have, that can be passed on, than what they can carry on their backs. It's not just 'the tribe'. There are families, and eventually dynasties. And if these homes are for a mated pair of humans and their children... Well. You can't pass one home on to ''all'' of them." Amy shakes her head. "I don't know who it was who started the idea of passing it on to the oldest son, and having daughters 'marry into' families. But once it started... it continued. You need both a man and a woman to make children. But if the inherited wealth goes to the man, there isn't as much reason to focus on improving your daughters -- save enhancing their attractiveness to gain a suitor, lest you end up caring for an old maid when old yourself. Younger sons are spares in case something happens to the eldest." Another shake. "Thinking this way... it is cruel, and destructive, and poisonous, but it took hold. And once it did, it concentrated power. And gave that power to the sons of wealthy parents. I'm simplifying things a bit, but... Over thousands of years... The people who think that way accumulate the power and shape society. Women here weren't generally educated until the last century -- maybe rich noble women might get some education, before then -- there ''was'' the chance they'd end up having to manage an estate or rule a country, after all." Amy sighs and looks at Entrapta. "Even now, in a supposedly equitable world, the stain of it remains. Women aren't as encouraged to take interest or careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And those who do have had their contributions downplayed, because the people who write history books think it much more likely that anythign of import was discovered or invented by a man, unless there is too much concrete proof otherwise." "...Radiant Heart is a better place. But the rest of the world... I'm sorry." Amy shakes her head. "Earth is filled with inequity, outside here. But that's why you've been given the impression that our greatest geniuses were mostly men."
Entrapta	Notepad. She got it out of her hair, apparently. Entrapta is taking notes! "Go on," she says a couple of times to try and pull out more details, but it's not really needed. Amy's on a roll here. She doesn't interrupt. Entrapta is an -excellent- listener. But she's also not good at reading cues. So when Amy is done, she continues writing notes for a moment. "Go on," she says. Then, when nothing more is forthcoming, she looks up. "Oh right! I take a turn! That's so weird, got to get used to that. People talking -with- me." "From a pure numbers perspective I'd assume that the origins were based on pregnancy, and the need to protect the fetus in order to assure higher levels of procreation. But that's theoretical, I'd have to invent time travel to know for sure." No. Just no. "BUT! With that theory in place, my world is anyone listening outside?" Sounds of people scuttling away happen. "That's better. My world was matriarchal. Actually so far as we can tell, it's always been fairly safe. So there was no reason to need protection for mothers, and children have always had a very high survival rate." Sounds idyllic? Maybe. "The history books that I've been able to access suggest that only females were able to access the runestones, which were always the greatest source of real power on our entire world! So, naturally they had the most power, and the most influence. I was an exception, but that was because my parents were inventors and they had a lot of influence of their own." "Then they died, and I was left to run my entire city! It was alright." Short history. But then, her world HAS a short history. "I mean, I assume there's more to it but you know a lot more about the creation of species than I could have derived in ten lifetimes! I suppose that's a benefit of living in a world with an established backstory." >.>
Amy Faust	Amy tries to maintain a poker face, nodding slightly. "Pregnancy, and caring for and nursing young children while recovering therefrom would I suppose leave women who have children less free to engage in other activities than men who did, yes." She jumps a bit at the sound of people scattering outside the door. "Maybe we should go talk in my dorm room? Or yours." But she listens as Entrapta continues. She quirks an eyebrow at the bit about children always having a high survival rate. ''Is that because of magic?'' she wonders. Only women could use the runestones. Amy chuckles a little. "And so power and who can use it shapes the world. I don't see why people won't go for equality... many do, but enough of those who hold power will always not want it -- and also those who think they have a better shot at gaining power in the current order." "Come on, let's find another room. Your place or mine?" Once relocated, she continues: "I ''do'' have the unfair advantage of having had more ''time'', in this world of instantly accessible information, than you or any other student at this school. When I was your age--" Amy frowns, that sounds ''wrong'' coming out of her mouth, "--When I was... in high school the first time, I didn't know any of this. I have the memories of someone over twice our seeming ages. But..." Amy grins and throws her hands out to her sides, "That just means maybe I can explain big stuff like this better to someone new to the whole world, and I'm happy to be of benefit to any of my friends!"
Entrapta	Magic? No, it's because Etheria has never been anything other than what it is now. Tamed, and civilized. Admittedly on different levels in different areas, but overall it's never been a wild world, not like Earth. When they landed, they made it into what they wanted. Some areas were made more technological than others, but nowhere was just left untouched. Sadly, much of that was not recorded, so Entrapta is left to assumptions and guesses. "There's always going to be a lean toward those with power," she says. "Oh, definitely your room. Mine is potentially lethal right now." Sitting down, Entrapta listens with her hands holding her hair. Then, she says, "Well, then. Maybe you can tell me about the event that's happening. Should I be doing some kind of social interaction that I'm not aware of? Or is there a technological component? What's it called?" Pause. "Wait, are we friends?"
Amy Faust	Amy and Mio's room has a bunk bed -- the bottom one has red sheets on it, and a teddy bear, a plush mountain lion, and a plushie of some magical girl on it -- and most of Amy's desk is taken up by a desktop PC with two 22-inch-or-so widescreen monitors, and her chair is a nice office chair, and the shelf above it is full of role-playing game manuals and a couple gunpla. Amy sits in her chair and gestures for Entrapta to take her choice of Amy's bed or Mio's chair. There is also a minifridge with sodas and stuff. Amy shrugs at the followup questions, except the last one: "I'd like to be!" And then she gets into it: "Humans have always -- at least, since the invention of agriculture I'm sure -- had some form of winter solstice celebration. Halfway through the long cold and dark, a show of light and life to say we are here, we will find joy, we will persist until warmth and green return." "Christianity absorbed some of the holiday traditions of other religions as it spread. December 25th is canonized as the day the Christian messiah was born around two millenia ago, and so Christmas is named for him, but the holiday's not actually about that unless you're an especially devout Christian." "There once was a man named St. Nicholas who gave toys to poor children where he lived; this legend spread and became the legend of 'Santa Claus', who supposedly goes around the entire world in one night placing gifts in stocking hung by the fireplace or under christmas trees -- And bits and pieces were added to that legend by multiple sources, with Santa's iconic red coat coming from a coca-cola ad, of all things." "Anyway, in spirit of that legend, Christmas is traditionally a day of exchanging gifts, although honestly, I was never good at it? Like, the ideal gift is something someone wouldn't get for themselves, but I'm bad at knowing what people want to begin with..." Amy shakes her head. "I just get friends cheap games from their wishlist on the yearly Steam sale." Beat. "...It's not as big a thing in Japan, though Radiant Heart is especially multicultural. Here in Japan it is a time to consume fried chicken -- that's more commercialism embedding itself as tradition -- and a popular night to have romantic dates. Or," Amy coughs into her hand and looks away, "For adults, dates that lead to more than romance, or so I get the impression." She looks back at Entrapta. "I said all that, but it turns out Santa Claus is real, and no I don't know what the interaction between him and the legend is. Last year he came to Radiant Heart to recruit help against a monster threatening Christmas."
Entrapta	Listening. Notes. 'Linguistic drift? Saint Nicholas = Santa Clause, saint-sant-santniclaus-santaclause likely unnecessary to test. Religion? Similar to semi-worship of princesses due to thaumatological overlay on societal norms.' Others such as that fall into place as she listens, Entrapta's eyes coming up to Amy's on occasion. To her, this is all data. "Steam has no sails, though that's a creative solution and I would absolutely love to build a steam powered sailboat! There's so many possibilities!" Yup, there are still some language issues to iron out. Oh hey, that's a steam tool too! The iron. Heh. "I've never had a friend," Entrapta says. It sounds dull, like it's lost all meaning. "So I wouldn't be good at choosing a gift either. I think Rashmi is a friend, but she's never actually said so." Then she pauses, looking up from her notes. "I think, I'd like to give you a gift. If ...it's alright." And of course Santa Clause is real. Why wouldn't it be? "I wonder if I could meet him. He sounds like he'd be helpful in historical work."
Amy Faust	Steam sales will have to be explained another time. Never had a friend. Amy nods. Rashmi is a friend. "She never used to have friends, either. Gift-choosing is a skill, and... I think friends recognize that not everyone has it. It's fine. Having a friend is far more important than the gift... but you may give me a gift if you like.." Amy smiles. Santa. "Well, you can write him a letter. By tradition, the ritual goes to write something like 'Dear Santa, I have been a good girl (or boy) this year. For Christmas I would like...' and then what you want most. Mail it in a letter addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole." Amy shrugs. "I have no idea if the real Santa gets the letters. But maybe he'll come back to Radiant Heart this year as well. If so... there may be plenty of travel time in his sleigh for him to answer your questions." "...If you don't mind my asking..." Amy looks over Entrapta. "One: What were you expecting me to cover after my explanation of the origin of the Patriarchy, and Two: Why do the runestones only work for women, and is that based on gender identity or what's outside?"
Entrapta	Sorry, but Entrapta is busy writing. Dear Santa. I have been a very confused girl this year. I would say whether or not I have been good or bad, but nobody explained to me how those worked. Can you tell me what to do, in order to be good? I would like it very much if I had a chance to learn more, so I can help the people around me. They are very difficult to understand, but I would like very much to make them happier. I just wish I knew what they were thinking. Do you have that problem? I hope you have a positive year, and that your work gives you something new every day. Entrapta, princess of Dryl. Then she looks up, and says, "Oh." Pause. She reviews the heard but not processed, and then says, "I never expect anything. What you say is what you say. And I have never seen a runestone, so ..how would I know yet? Someday I'll find one, and I hope I'll be able to test it..." Her eyes sparkle. Well. Maybe she does have something she wants, after all.
Amy Faust	Yeah, Amy expected her to just write the letter immediately, of course. She nods at the explanation, and smiles at Entrapta's enthusiasm. She hopes Entrapta gets to study a runestone one day too, clearly science will learn so much! "We've danced around this topic a bit today, and I'm considering approaching it while it's topical, but uh... I'm not sure where to ''start.'' Your thoughts on gender and such." Amanda furrows her brow slightly. "Come to think of it, you didn't really express an opinion on what Earth's society has done, when I explained -- Although maybe you don't really care about gender all that much. I wouldn't... be surprised, I suppose." Red eyes watch the Princess of Dryl intently.
Entrapta	But, there wasn't a question for Entrapta to answer in that. She reviews it, over and over in her head. For a good moment or two, she's just looking at Amy like she's waiting to be asked something. Which is exactly what's happening, so it's good that it seems that way? "Um," she says after a long pause. "Should...I respond? Because all of my opinions about gender are theoretical." She looks at Amy, tilting her head. "I don't really get why people care about it. It doesn't matter, not compared to how the person is inside." And there it is. It's her answer, to a question with a billion different answers. Is she wrong?
Amy Faust	Amy blinks. And cocks her head to one side. "Theoretical is fine. We're leaving, if not entirely, the realm of science for philosophy for a moment." She listens, and nods. "It ''is'' part of how people are inside, for most people. It doesn't always match the outside. But certainly..." Amy rests cheek on fist and elbow on armrest, "I think for measures of a person where it's not somehow directly relevant, it doesn't matter, certainly. If you're thinking in terms of who is the best at some skill, or even who is the best friend, or something, it's irrelevant." Beat. Eh what the hey. "You can stop this line of questioning if it's annoying, but... do you even care if people see you as a boy, or as a girl, or as in-between or both or something else or neither?"
Entrapta	Do. you care. If people see you...as a boy, or a girl? Or something else? Entrapta looks, for once, as if she doesn't have an answer to a question. She sits looking at Amy as if she's stunned. "Does...it matter?" she asks, unable to answer herself. To herself, she says, "Do people..see me? Is there an interactive element that I've not considered?" She's frowning, trying to reason this through. The one thing that you can't reason. Because it's not about reason. It's about something else. So, she ends up looking up, and says, in the end, "I don't know. But I'll try and get back to you?"
Amy Faust	Amy kind of ''suspected'' this, at last, as of several seconds ago when she thought of it, but her eyebrows still go up slightly to hear it. "Yeah. It's ''weird'', right? When you realize other people like... care about this thing you don't. Like, I always thought all those songs about falling in love at first sight, and that people who seemed compelled by... compelled to action merely by the sight of someone they consider hot or attractive, must have had a hyperactive libido or something, but ''no!'' It turns out there's some ''feeling'' people feel and call sexual attraction, and I can only sit by and look on in bewilderment as other girls at the lunch table talk about how hot people are." Blink. "I guess that's probably how you feel about a lot of things, huh." Blink. "...I thought it didn't matter, But I always kind of... I wondered about..." Amy shakes her head, and smiles. "I'm very happy to be a girl. Despite what I just told you about this world. I wouldn't give it up for anything. No matter how hard they make it. Most people probably feel ''something'' about it, although most probably haven't really ''thought'' about it; the idea they could be anything else and how they'd feel about it never ''really'' crosses their minds; So it's probably more subconscious for most."
Entrapta	Well. That's a lot. With a deep breath, and some thought, Entrapta takes some time to think. And given how little she's considered this, she doesn't rush it. "I like who I am. I like what I am. There are things that I want to improve on, but that's part of the process." She's looking at the wall. Thinking aloud. "If I were to meet someone, I'd want to be me." There's a lot there. She's unpacking. Whoo. Breathe. "I think, sometimes, I feel like my body is a bit odd. But it's always been something else to discover. I don't think I'd change it, if I could." That's a big topic too, and maybe not one for right now. So, she nods. "I've met a lot of people, since coming here." She's talking to Amy now. "There's nobody that I want, not to spend my life with. I'd know that, probably. But I'll keep meeting people. Until all the data is in, I think it's too early to make a decision. This is going to be a social experiment on myself. Huh." And she nods, looking to the wall once more. Something else nobody explained? Seems like.
Amy Faust	Amy discusses her gender feelings, and the bewilderment of being on the ace spectrum when most people around you are not, and listens to Entrapta's thoughts in turn, nodding. "You feel like your body is... odd?" She cocks her head slightly to one side. "What about it? Or is it more that... having to have a body at all is odd?" Amy has a thought, and taps her chin. "Has it ever felt like you... like you're piloting around this flesh robot, but the real you is... like it's not the real you? But you're piloting it." "...You don't have to, despite the majority of Earth's pop culture stories insisting so, only ever meet one person that you feel... more-than-friends about. Some people can only stand having one other person in the relationship, but not everyone." She leans back in her chair. "I guess there's a lot of stuff people... that society just ''assumes'' is the same for everyone. But it's not."
Entrapta	Hm. Entrapta rubs her head thoughtfully as she considers the questions being put to her. She hasn't quite grasped their importance, but the fact that they are important to Amy seems obvious. So she takes them seriously, anyone searching for knowledge deserves no less respect. "Well, I mean. I could build something to pilot around, to compare, if it helped," she muses. "But that sounds like someone who feels detatched from their own body somehow." She smiles, finally on some form of stable ground in this conversation. "That's not me! I'm pretty much in this form, and it's done pretty well so far! But I get that might not be what you're trying to ask. I make a lot of mistakes." She pulls one leg up to her lap, settling it there idly. Is she sitting? She is, in fact, sitting. "As an example, I don't know exactly what you're talking about, with ..." Pause, she looks up to remember with clarity. "I guess there's a lto of stuff that society assumes is the same for everyone, but it's not." She tilts her head in a question. "I've never been part of one, so I'm throwing oomlats at the balls here."
Amy Faust	"I don't mean literally feels so much as..." she tries to think of how to word it, and nods at Entrapta immediately getting why someone would feel that way. "No I think you got it. I was just... checking." Never been ''part'' of a society. ''Oh.'' Amy, with decades of experience having to interpret communication from others that makes no sense, guesses... well no, she need not guess. "From the tone and context, I'm guessing that idiom means you're just trying things to see what works? Or maybe it's... desperately trying to reach for what little you can even if it's not very effective?" Amy furrows her brow. If 'throwing things at the wall to see what sticks' and 'grasping at straws' both seem to apply, it could also be many other things. "I guess... that is a good point. I was thinking of you as... coming from ''a'' culture, but..." Amy frowns more. "Wait, were you ''alone'' all your life? E-even if you were, weren't there like... books and stuff? Stories? Or...?"
Entrapta	Entrapta? She listens. She listens like someone who's never been interrupted, and thus would never interrupt anyone, ever. It'd be...unthinkable. Absolute attention, and silence. Then thought, giving herself all the time she needs to answer. This behaviour alone is almost weird, it's like she's not ever been rushed to do..anything. And that's not normal. "In order of answers, yes I think I understand, and it's good of you to check." Pause, she's still thinking and not exactly staring but...kind of staring anyways. "Idiom. Those seem to make sense as well, I doubt you've ever seen an oomlat. You sound as if you have similar phrases, but I haven't learned them yet? Yes, right. I'll do some research on it, to encourage more useful speech. I'm sorry about that." Then, she breathes and adds, "Not entirely alone. I had food delivered regularly, but not directly. It arrived by delivery robot. And there were many books! But generally just science texts, mathematics and exploratory histories. I've read everything in my castle's library, which is why I so love the one here! It's a billion times more extensive!" She smiles a little, but there's something sad in it. "I am guessing that Rashmi didn't mention the gap in population values. But you have to be aware that your world's large amount of people means a similar amount of increase in available literature. What I had to work with was not exactly worthy of note." Etheria was largely unpopulated. The castle at Bright Moon had so few living beings in it that it had no need of a prison. That was the spare room, when needed.
Amy Faust	Amy listens. "I think I've heard before, that-- right, yeah, we mentioned... when I was talking about the theory of why seasons are named like that and why your culture remembers stars. And I know phrases like that in English, not sure they translate right to Japanese, but..." She stands up from her chair and walks over to hug Entrapta again. "I'm sorry. Such a lonely existence... Well, perhaps it suited you. Certainly, people like us... neurodivergent and... agender and maybe asexual, it sounds like... having to deal with a society and not fitting in with, not being the same as most is its own struggle, but... I don't know." Amy lets go and steps back. "Maybe it didn't bother you so much, being alone. But hearing it makes me want to comfort you."
Entrapta	Entrapta should have remembered that. But it bore repeating, given how useful it was in the context of the situation. She lets Amy finish, waits til she's certain that she's done, then says, "I got the language but not all of the context. There's still a lot to pick up, that's why I enjoy going to classes. I get to see it all used in situational placement. Very helpful." The hug doesn't make her hug back, mostly because she hasn't quite figured out why people hug yet. That'll come. So she pats Amy's back when that happens, kind of awkwardly. "Is this a comfort thing? People keep doing it, and it seems to be associated." The hug? Yes, the hug. "Nobody ever touched me before. I suppose that would lead me to be.." She pauses, reviewing data. "Neurodivergent does seem to be a good descriptive word. It has a lot of data to back it up in this situation, certainly."
Amy Faust	Amy nods about the help of learning a language by seeing it used in everyday life. Entrapta does not understand hugs. "It's... yeah. It's... humans are usually a very social species. Most -- not all -- of our brains are wired to need some touch occasionally. I... for cultural reasons, I didn't get hugs much once I was... around ten or eleven years old, I guess? So I've been making up for being so... touch-starved. So we'll usually... Hugs are often a gesture of friendship or comfort... albeit not so much in the local culture, honestly. Japanese is... not a very touchy-feely culture, even America is moreso. Radiant Heart is... unusual. Or perhaps we just have a lot of overly friendly individuals." Amy considers. "Do you want to... talk about how you're different than others, to help understand them, or understand why, err, how others may tend to be different from you? Or... would that not really be helpful? I..." Amy blinks. "Sorry. I am concerned that I must also account for an emotional... discomfort that might occur, from hearing you are different. Human society often teaches people that difference is bad, and we have... instincts left over from our ancestors, from when being shunned out of the tribe or the village meant probably death. But perhaps that does not affect you as such. A-anyway I was thus... trying to dance around that and word things less... bluntly, I suppose." Amy smiles sadly before sitting back down. "Sorry. Force of habit from having to interact with neurotypicals like they do lest I be... well, that stuff I just said about being shunned."
Entrapta	Gauging the conversation in the way that she does, Entrapta notes that the first statements made did not require a response. Probably. If not, she'll get corrected later in the conversation, according to her mental flow chart. So she moves on to the next. "Oh, I have no idea what's helpful or not. It's all data though, and eventually I assume that it'll all make sense." She seems cheerful about that response, like that at least makes sense in her worldscape. Then, she pauses. Trying to actually parse what was said, rather than just responding to it. "Amy, are you under the belief that I'm uncomfortable in who I am? I'm noticing a definite pattern in your questions, and if that's your overall goal right now I can tell you directly." She smiles. "I'm pretty happy. The fact that nothing is ever quite perfect is a good thing, not a bad one. I have things all around me that are new, and different, and it's wonderful. If it were all perfect, I'd have nothing to learn. And that, would be a horrible thing. This? This is incredible because it's weird, and messed up. I'd accept nothing less." Huh. Well, she's resilient.
Amy Faust	Amy listens. "That..." She furrows her brow slightly. "I don't believe you are uncomfortable in who you are. I figured, while I was on adjacent subjects, I'd ask how you felt about your body ''just in case'', since, someone who ''did'' feel uncomfortable with it might not know that it's abnormal. Plus uh. Iunno, if you ''are'' agender or similar, then there mighta been some stuff that bothered you?" She shrugs. "But I don't really know much about that experience. I haven't ''met'' an agender person before. ...I think." She stands up and paces because she's fidgety. "The questions about neurodivergence aren't... I don't think you're ''uncomfortable'' with it; However, I know for many, myself included, ''being'' autistic and ADHD has resulted in ''huge'' social difficulties. Heck, they're medically classified as disorders; when I was growing up, they were things I was taught were ''wrong'' with me and that I needed to learn to act the way everyone else does. I don't want you to suffer any of that, or to start to feel that being different is wrong." Amy stops, and turns to her, smiling. "I'm glad you haven't been made to feel that way." She resumes pacing. "Still, I wonder if awareness of such differences would help you understand others? In your collection of data and observation of people and society. Or perhaps... I mean I guess you already noticed you're different and didn't think anything of it. Didn't... attach some emotional or social baggage to it, anyway." Amy stops and rubs the back of her neck. "Aghh... it's kinda messed up, right? That having to interact with everyone ''else'' so much has made it harder for me to just talk directly to ''you.'' Sorry about that."
Entrapta	This would be a good time for Entrapta to reach out and touch Amy's hands, to help her focus. She doesn't, because that's not something she does. Or even grasps. She just listens, hands in her lap. Amy clearly needs to speak, and that's welcome. Entrapta's smile fades a bit, as she slowly notes that there's a sad emotional state going on. It took her a bit to register it. Which might be part of why she's not upset by much. She's not really engaging with a lot of the emotional sides of things. "How could someone make me feel in a way that I'm not?" She asks it like it's the most natural question. Head tilt and everything. "As for awareness of differences, I'm fully aware that I lack a lot of knowledge. That's why I'm here! A scientist should try to broaden their knowledge whenever possible!" Excitement! Yes! "And if there's failure or harm? Well, that's just something that happens. I blow up my experiments an awful lot." She nods, already hardened to the fact that she's going to fail sometimes. "Tell me one thing, though." She pauses, to make sure Amy's on board with what she's asking. "Do you need help? I'm guessing, but everything I'm getting here suggests that you might. And that's bad."
Amy Faust	How? "Humans have evolved for a million years to be masters at manipulating people. Most have instinctive tricks they'll use without even consciously realizing to manipulate others, and when they're upset with you -- difference from them being something that upsets people frequently -- they'll use that." Still, it's clear Amy's misjudged something here. She stops pacing and sits down again and listens, when told to answer one thing. Upon hearing it she looks shocked, and maybe a little offended. "''What? Me?'' I was trying to help ''you''--" She pauses, and hangs her head. "...yeah... I dunno. probably." "Not, like, in an imminent danger way, just... Yeah. I've got baggage from... all the things I just said. I don't know how to fit into the world as... I mean I barely know how to fit in as a student. Fitting in as a magical girl seems to not have a lot of requirements. But I don't know how I'll fit into society when I'm older. I..." Amy shakes her head, and smiles sadly. "But it's kinda silly to worry about that, when I might die in battle before it matters anyway, right?" She hangs her head. "...There's probably all sorts of problems I have... well, we ''all'' probably do, not like we can talk to a psychologist about magic! Our lives, I mean, what with all the magic." She sighs and slumps back in the chair slightly. "What about it? Do you know magic solutions to the problems of others?" Beat. "...I didn't mean literal magic, but..." she shrugs.
Entrapta	There's a lot to parse there. Entrapta takes her best shot, and by that I mean she probably messes it up. Choosing to answer what she figures are the most important points, so as to not dilute the conversation, she focuses on them. For a good minute, actually, thinking through her response in total silence. ... ... Okay, she seems ready to speak now. Breathe. "I don't know if I understand, but that's okay. Life is about trying to take one more step than before, and learning a little at a time. So I'm not going to get it all, but the people who come after me have it better than I did, and they build on my knowledge too!" Is she on a tangent? Probably. But, off she goes. "The future isn't real, Amy. You're living now, right? You're worried about dying before you fit in, but nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, or any other day. This time is now, and this is what's happening now. Are you fitting in, right now?" She isn't leaning away, she's engaged. She's not judging. "I don't think about tomorrow. Live locked in a set of rooms for a few years, you'll lose track of time too." ....okay, fair point. And if she doesn't think about the future, she doesn't worry about what might happen. Huh. "I'm finding magical solutions, one at a time. Normal ones too! And so are you, just probably with different tools. I'm proud of you for that."
Amy Faust	Amy fidgets in her chair, but can understand the need to think before speaking. She should do it more often. "I..." She looks away. "I'm ''not'' worried about dying... well I mean of course I don't want to, but if I ''survive'' being a magical girl, then..." She shrugs. "I don't know what I'll do after." She sits up straight and looks at Entrapta. "I'm fitting in with the other magical girls, I think. With ''society?'' With the other ''students?''" She shakes her head. "I don't know where to begin. Like, I'm staying out of trouble, but... how can I relate to them anyway, when I know that monsters are real and I fight them?" She shrugs, and lets the comment about being locked in a room pass. It's... ''concerning'', but, Entrapta has shown what happens when you decide she needs unsolicited help. That last thing Entrapta says makes her smile and look away, and then she realizes it didn't... fit. She looks at Entrapta curiously, like a puzzle to be figured out. "...Are you... why did you say that you're proud of me? What was the, uh, purpose of that statement?"
Entrapta	And, unlike her other statements, Entrapta seems to be ready for this. Immediately she answers. "Because you're exploring your world, and your situation. You're learning, asking me all these questions. They're wonderful, and you should always keep asking them! Questions are where we start to make the world a better place!" She's happy, she's okay. She's trying to share that, in the only way she knows how. "I'm proud of all my fellow scientists, and you definitely qualify as one. Learning, especially when it's hard. I'm happy to have you in the group, and it's great to have someone as passionate about what matters to you, as you." Then she shrugs. "Maybe I do need help, actually I probably do. I have many illusions about my life that I haven't discovered yet. You'll tell me if I'm making any glaring errors, won't you? That'd be a huge help, and keep me from going down wrong paths."
Amy Faust	Amy is slightly surprised and cocks her head slightly to the side at the immediate answer. It's suspicious, like someone following a script... but then Entrapta keeps going in detail, showing thought put into it, and she smiles again. All her fellow scientists... Amy chuckles a little. "I always saw myself as more of an engineer, but... honestly--" Being complimented on her passion, though, makes her smile in a way she can't hide, and she hunches in her chair a bit and looks away shyly. "Tha... thanks." She nods at the question. "To the best of my knowledge, yes. Although the errors I expect are those... like, I expected that... I figured my perspective and experience as someone who has most of her life felt like an alien trying to understand this strange society, might be helpful to you. And certainly, I hope my wide background education in the workings of the world -- whether you want to know why we use money and how it works, or how not to get hit by cars crossing the street, or why our world is like it is -- will be helpful to you." She takes a breath and lets it out. "That said... I always thought... like if I ever ended up in a fantastic situation? I thought I'd be... understanding the rules of magic, and figuring out how to exploit them. Or at least that I'd get technical stuff, like M-- like Sailor Mercury and Rashmi do." Amy shakes her head. "But at that, I've failed. I'm not the 'smart guy' in the group, I'm just... here. A girl with a big explosive gun. I try to be friendly and help people." She smiles, but there is that tinge of sadness of unfulfilled aspiration.
Entrapta	Entrapta gives a thumbs-up! She grins, she waits. She answers. "I put huge value on your experience, believe me! Always go to the expert sources." Sounds like something she believes, and that would definitely track. She's the type to look up the source files, after all. "And, I think you're friendly?" She sounds less certain, now. But still smiling. "Keep in mind that I only have a few samples to gauge from, but so far I'm pretty good with what you're doing today. And in general." She doesn't respond to the tinge of sadness, because she isn't fully aware of it. Not enough experience with the issue. Still, the words make sense. "Do you want to learn the math behind it?" Wait, magic has math? Wait, Entrapta knows the math involved? Wait, would that help in the slightest? She seems to think so. There may be an information gap here that's a bit bigger than expected. "I could get you some materials, from the library." Sadly, Entrapta is not the emotions girl. But she's trying.
Amy Faust	Amy can't help smiling, again, at being praised as an 'expert source'. Entrapta offering to teach the math of magic, though, gets wide-eyed interest and Amy leaning forward in her seat. ''"You can teach me about how magic works?!"'' She sits up straight again, grinning eagerly, "Oh I would love that! Thank you! I'll do my best to understand!"
Entrapta	Entrapta grins, then laughs. "I can! Or I will be able to, I'm working on it myself! There are definitely wavelengths and patterns, that I'm discovering. It's fascinating, and I would happily share my data with anyone who wants to understand it! It might take some math knowledge to grasp it all, but a basic understanding is a good place to start!" Then she claps her hands together, and her phone lights up. "Penelope, please order Amy some books from the library. The ones labelled 'actually helpful information' please." The phone chimes, then responds with, "Alright Enissa, let's make some science!" Entrapta laughs, then nods and comes back to Amy. "You don't need to read them, but the references inside will help with understanding. But if you want to read them, you'll grow!" She's serious. The solution to everything is research. "And, Amy? If you're not able to do it all?" She pauses. "I can't shoot a gun. And sometimes, I have to assume that's useful too."
Amy Faust	Some math knowledge? Amy feels confident, but then has a flicker of worry about what does Entrapta consider 'some' math knowledge. "I have a computer science degree but I kinda topped out at multivariate calculus and was never very good with matrices. Never did learn statistics... um, what ''kinda'' math?" This 'Penelope' though... That doesn't seem like a command a standard digital assistant could execute. "Oooh, did you program that? That's neat! Can you send me a list of the books in text, too? I'll see what I can pirate in electronic format, too, for easier reading and reference at my desk. ...And in general, really, if I'll be referencing them it's easier to carry a bunch of references in my pocket than in a big stack of paper, you know?" She has to assume not being able to shoot a gun is useful. "Honestly, not being able to fight can be more likely to keep you alive, if it keps you from overcondifently taking on a fight you can't-- oh I see what you meant. Thanks." She smiles. Amy hehs. "I could teach you, you know. Although you'll probably never use one in Japan, and we don't know if nonmagical weapons do anything to magic monsters anyway."
Entrapta	Entrapta is already setting up the order. "Penelope used to be a celphone. I think that a lot of the internal matrix is largely underused, and I mostly set it up to explore underutilized pathways in its own system. She did the rest herself, but I have a lot left to explore there too." There's more excitement, but right now she's working. Getting the books list. Compiling primary reference mentions and indicating where and on what page. Etcetera. "I have no interest in learning to fight," she says. "But thank you for the offer. I have a lot of other projects." No kidding. "Like helping you with your math!" And she begins to help. How much good it will do? That, we'll find out after a few lessons.