[VIDEO] | @Everyone

[thegreatexperiment]

[The camera pans around the Inn's kitchen, where Sam's rickety, faithful vodka distillery appears to be up and running again!]

Look.

[Sam doesn't appear on camera because...well...she can't. But that's her grumpy, Midwestern accent. No doubt.]

I fell down on the job a little, okay? I could make up some fancy excuse for you about why there was no vodka for weeks, but the fact of the matter is that the Overlords won. I was just fucking depressed.

[And she still might be. But Sam would never admit something like that.]

Anyway, just letting you all know that this shitshow is officially off the wagon again. Feel free to booze out to your heart's content. Just don't be a dick and make sure to share because I can only make so much in a day, you know?

Comments

UN: Almasy

[firacrux]

I didn't even know you made vodka.

If you need to punch things though I know a guy who can take a hit.

[thegreatexperiment]

[There's a bit of a wry smile in her voice.]

Are you kidding? Vodka is the second-best thing I make.

The best is "a mess."

Audio

[firacrux]

[Talking is easier than typing on the world's smallest screen.]

Great, that's two things we have in common. Being disappointing and making messes.

[It's said with an amused tone.]

How's it work? The vodka making. Never seen it for myself.

[thegreatexperiment]

Just basic chemistry.

[She pans the camera over the set-up as she talks.]

You distill the mash, after it ferments. So you basically got alcohol gas that turns into alcohol liquid.

[firacrux]

Do I look like someone who knows anything about chemistry?

[It's a joke, and clearly so with his tone because they're audio. But it's also honest. He has no idea.]

What's a mash, or rather what's in a mash? There sure are a lot of pots.

[More than pots he just has no proper descriptors for it.]

[thegreatexperiment]

[She does laugh at his joke. A little. Sam's laugh is like a rusty hinge. Grating from a lack of use.]

Basically mashed potatoes. You can make vodka with other shit, but we have an excess of taters, as Mark would call them.

Potatoes, water, and yeast.

[firacrux]

[It's possible that might need to be remedied. Would a crocdog in an ugly sweater cheer her up?]

I'm torn. Because mashed potatoes are delicious, but with the way shit's gone here I'm pretty sure alcohol's a necessity. Guess we can have both if we've got plenty of potatoes.

What's the yeast do?

[thegreatexperiment]

Causes fermentation. Basically transitions it from potato water to alcohol.

Here, I'll show you.

[There's some rustling on Sam's end, as she grabs an old napkin and writes out a formula in charcoal:

C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2 C₂H₅OH + 2 CO]

See?

[Because it totally makes sense in her head...]

[firacrux]

[Causes fermentation he understands, vaguely, that formula? Completely over his head.]

...I wasn't really kiddn' when I said I didn't know any chemistry.

[He chuckles, a little more nervously.]

I have no idea what any of that says.

[thegreatexperiment]

Oh.

[This is why she can't have nice things.]

Well, it's just the chemical reaction. Bottom line is that it makes booze.

[firacrux]

Got it. Makes enough sense. Didn't realize the process was so involved.

[thegreatexperiment]

It's not. Chemists just like to make things look more complicated than they are.

Inferiority complex.

[firacrux]

Huh. Well I'll take your word for it. Probably makin' up for being picked on at school.

[It makes total sense to him.]

[thegreatexperiment]

Oh, most definitely.

[firacrux]

That explains everything.

[thegreatexperiment]

[Another rusty laugh.]

Well, I'm very smart.

[firacrux]

[Clearly she needs to use that laughing more to loosen it up!]

Got one up on me. That's one I don't have.

[thegreatexperiment]

One? One what?

[firacrux]

Trait, similarity?

I'm sayin' I ain't that smart. This conversation proves it.

[thegreatexperiment]

Don't sell yourself short. There are eight different kinds of intelligence, according to Howard Gardner.

If you don't have one, you probably have one of the others.

[firacrux]

Wait, eight, how so? What are they? Never heard of something like that before.

[thegreatexperiment]

Oh fuck...

Lemme think.

[Social science has never been Sam's favorite. She only took the AP Psych class because it was the last AP class she hadn't taken.]

Um, I think it's Linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and...there's a weird last one...naturalist intelligence. Whatever that means.

[firacrux]

[None of these things would have ever been covered in his schooling. Basic, standard education, magic training, and combat training. Infiltration and other courses related to warfare and war-related activities, unfortunately. The chance to learn new things is often one he'll jump at.]

Sounds like plants and stuff. That's what I'd assume by the name. What's bodily-kinesthetic intelligence mean?

[thegreatexperiment]

Movement.

Like, you're good at moving. Graceful. Coordinated. I assume it's if you're good at things like dancing or fighting.

[firacrux]

Huh. Who would have thought that's some kind of intelligence? I just figured it was practice.