[ The cashier acts offended by the accusation, throwing a hand up to their chest and scoffing. "I did no such thing! And for your information the cameras are a live feed, not a recording." Jerk Cashier thinks they've won this one and they smile smugly at Rose.
Matt can't see their smile but he can hear the way their heartbeat pounds despite their confidence. Perhaps a little more pressure will do the trick. He clears his throat. ]
I'm sure someone in the line behind me saw something.
[Despite the cashier's smug reply, she only grins confidently in response.]
Exactly. I thought I'd do you a favor and spare you the public humiliation of getting called out by everyone in line right now, but we can do this the hard way if you want. [She turns around to the person behind Matt.] Ma'am, you wouldn't have happened to see what bill he paid with, would you?
[Now that they know they wouldn't be the ones labeled for making a problem, the people in line are much more willing to speak up. The woman Rose spoke with says that he should be getting $5 back for the $10 he gave, and the person behind them chimes in their agreement. She thanks everyone kindly for standing up for what's right and all that, but when she turns back to the cashier, her smile is sharp.]
What's that phrase again? "The customer's always right"? [Having worked retail and customer service herself before, she normally hates pulling that on employees. This one is definitely deserving of it though.]
[ The cashier is sweating now, Matt can smell it all too easily. They know they've been cornered and the line of customers is quickly turning into a line of disapproving witnesses. Matt clears his throat. ]
I'd like to speak with your manager please.
[ He smiles, he can't help it. The cashier swallows nervously and disappears into the back of the cafe. He can hear them hesitating as they approach the manager who was sitting in front of a computer in the back. "They want you out there," the cashier squeaks. In the next minute the manager is behind the counter and Matt explains the situation. People in the line behind him start to chime in. He gets a heartfelt apology and his cash back along with his order. A few of the people in the line applaud.
Matt turns towards Rose and smiles at her. ]
Thanks. Can I pay for your order as a thank you gift?
Eh, if you want to. [She shrugs easily, sticking her hands in the pockets of her hoodie.] But you don't really need to thank me. I've been looking for a chance to tell that cashier to fuck off for a while now.
[Which is..... definitely partly true, but Rose admitting to going out of her way to do something nice for someone? Not in this lifetime.]
[ He nods to the manager who's behind the register now. This one is on him. As he stands next to her he can't help noticing a floral scent, organic, as if she were holding a bouquet or a pot right there in her arms but he can sense exactly where her arms are and there's no plant involved. He wouldn't expect Rose to be the type to walk into a cafe with a bunch of flowers any way. Odd. ]
This is definitely worth celebrating, yeah. I might actually be able to order and eat in peace here now.
[Well, minus from when people gawk and stare at her, but she's slowly coming to accept that that's just kind of how things are. In that sense, she thinks there might actually be something a little relieving in running into Matt. Given all the people who've asked her about it, she figures he won't when he can't see it.]
You mean aside from all the annoying monthly posts? [She says it with a shrug, heading over to the tables.] Not really. I've seen some other people get neat shit thanks to it, but I can't say the same for myself.
[Which isn't exactly a lie. She doesn't think she's had a single good thing from Retrospec. Losing an eye to a flower is probably interesting though, although she has no intention of mentioning it.]
[ She could be wearing a really high quality perfume perhaps? It would have to be vintage to smell this pure. What's that over her eye? He's trying to figure out the shape. ]
... They've been alright. [Now that's definitely a lie, but she doesn't think attempting to murder your siblings makes for good coffee conversation. Or any kind of conversation.] From what I've "remembered" though, I'm pretty sure I babysat a dragon.
[ He chuckles. Who would have guessed dragons enjoy mud? ]
I would have guessed dragons might sun themselves like lizards but maybe it's all about mud for them. It almost sounds like you were watching a dog instead. How large was it?
Really? [ He can't help grinning. That was the most entertaining of the three possibilities he could think of. ] A particularly chatty type of dragon. Now it really sounds like you were looking after a toddler. I hope that didn't include much whining.
I can't say for sure, but I get the feeling there was definitely a lot of whining.
[But from what she remembers and how she treated the dragon, uh. Well, that whining was actually probably pretty justified.... "Why was past me such a raging asshole" part 14830324.]
So dragon voices mature somewhat like humans' do. I'd expect a creature that large to have a deep voice to begin with but then what do I know about dragon anatomy? For all I know they talk with magic instead of vocal chords.
... Now that I think about it, I have no idea how they actually talked. They didn't move their mouths as much as we do, but they sure said the same kind of words.
To speak our language by the same means they would need lips too. Must have been magic or unfamiliar dragon anatomy after all.
[ Matt's name is called and he goes to grab the order from the counter and pass Rose's part of it to her. As he returns to her he's sure he smells a flower of some kind. ]
—Yeah? Someone must be wearing perfume or something.
[It's not exactly a lie, but she was hoping he wouldn't notice the flower. She can't smell anything from it herself, after all. Then again, his sense of smell is probably sharper compared to hers anyways.
Maybe... Did you go somewhere with flowers blooming today?
[ Even with the scent in the air it's an odd question out of context. He tries to explain as briefly as he can. ]
My sense of smell is stronger thanks to Retrospec. Sometimes I pick up on details like lingering scents on people that reveal where they've been spending their time or what they've been doing lately.
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Matt can't see their smile but he can hear the way their heartbeat pounds despite their confidence. Perhaps a little more pressure will do the trick. He clears his throat. ]
I'm sure someone in the line behind me saw something.
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Exactly. I thought I'd do you a favor and spare you the public humiliation of getting called out by everyone in line right now, but we can do this the hard way if you want. [She turns around to the person behind Matt.] Ma'am, you wouldn't have happened to see what bill he paid with, would you?
[Now that they know they wouldn't be the ones labeled for making a problem, the people in line are much more willing to speak up. The woman Rose spoke with says that he should be getting $5 back for the $10 he gave, and the person behind them chimes in their agreement. She thanks everyone kindly for standing up for what's right and all that, but when she turns back to the cashier, her smile is sharp.]
What's that phrase again? "The customer's always right"? [Having worked retail and customer service herself before, she normally hates pulling that on employees. This one is definitely deserving of it though.]
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Matt clears his throat. ]
I'd like to speak with your manager please.
[ He smiles, he can't help it. The cashier swallows nervously and disappears into the back of the cafe. He can hear them hesitating as they approach the manager who was sitting in front of a computer in the back. "They want you out there," the cashier squeaks. In the next minute the manager is behind the counter and Matt explains the situation. People in the line behind him start to chime in. He gets a heartfelt apology and his cash back along with his order. A few of the people in the line applaud.
Matt turns towards Rose and smiles at her. ]
Thanks. Can I pay for your order as a thank you gift?
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[Which is..... definitely partly true, but Rose admitting to going out of her way to do something nice for someone? Not in this lifetime.]
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[ He nods to the manager who's behind the register now. This one is on him. As he stands next to her he can't help noticing a floral scent, organic, as if she were holding a bouquet or a pot right there in her arms but he can sense exactly where her arms are and there's no plant involved. He wouldn't expect Rose to be the type to walk into a cafe with a bunch of flowers any way. Odd. ]
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This is definitely worth celebrating, yeah. I might actually be able to order and eat in peace here now.
[Well, minus from when people gawk and stare at her, but she's slowly coming to accept that that's just kind of how things are. In that sense, she thinks there might actually be something a little relieving in running into Matt. Given all the people who've asked her about it, she figures he won't when he can't see it.]
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Anything interesting in your life thanks to Retrospec?
[ Like maybe a plant delivery? ]
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[Which isn't exactly a lie. She doesn't think she's had a single good thing from Retrospec. Losing an eye to a flower is probably interesting though, although she has no intention of mentioning it.]
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[ She could be wearing a really high quality perfume perhaps? It would have to be vintage to smell this pure. What's that over her eye? He's trying to figure out the shape. ]
I hope the memories have been better.
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[ Do dragons... need babysitting? Apparently yes? ]
What was it like?
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I would have guessed dragons might sun themselves like lizards but maybe it's all about mud for them. It almost sounds like you were watching a dog instead. How large was it?
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[She's remembered multiple dragons at this point, and honestly, they were both so chatty?? WHY.]
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[But from what she remembers and how she treated the dragon, uh. Well, that whining was actually probably pretty justified.... "Why was past me such a raging asshole" part 14830324.]
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I did remember talking to a different dragon before though. That one was more like your stereotypical dragon from movies and shit.
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[ Matt's name is called and he goes to grab the order from the counter and pass Rose's part of it to her. As he returns to her he's sure he smells a flower of some kind. ]
Huh. I keep getting a whiff of something floral.
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[It's not exactly a lie, but she was hoping he wouldn't notice the flower. She can't smell anything from it herself, after all. Then again, his sense of smell is probably sharper compared to hers anyways.
Shit.]
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[ Even with the scent in the air it's an odd question out of context. He tries to explain as briefly as he can. ]
My sense of smell is stronger thanks to Retrospec. Sometimes I pick up on details like lingering scents on people that reveal where they've been spending their time or what they've been doing lately.
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