tossaway

The train begins moving as ticketsman comes down the train, taking tickets as they go.
(You lost the Bonsai Ticket.)

...is it rude to compliment people like I was doing? Can I tell that person over there that I like the color of their petals?

"Well, it ain't RUDE to compliment people, just, there's a time and place, y'know? Some people ain't used to receivin' compliments, sadly enough, so when they get one they dunno what to do. It'd be more comfortable for them if they just did whatever without random people comin' up and bein' friendly, usin' their valuable time."

Fair enough.

The ticketsman returns to their station and the train picks up speed.
"NEXT STOP, NEGATIVE. PLEASE STAY IN YOUR SEATS AS THE TRAIN LEAVES PUNCTURE."

Flowers are pretty. How did the world get shaped like it did?

"Yea... Again, I wasn't around to see it happen, but apparently the world just... split open an' peeled outward, and the Center piece just fell right out. Everyone calls it "the Blooming". Nobody actually knows why it happened, there's a lotta rumors... like, "ooh, the royal family summoned evil powers", or, "we sinned and this is our punishment", you know, just, a lotta stuff with no evidence either way."

What do you believe?

"Heh, that's a heavy question from a baby. Hrm... I dunno. If there was a lesson to be learned from it, nobody learned it."



Jay lowers their voice.
"Though, to be honest... I don't think it happened for no reason. I... don't wanna say too much. But my little treasure huntin' hobby means I come across a lotta old junk, from before the Blooming. I'm for sure the world was a different shape before, the history books ain't lyin'. We were different back then. And... and, the magic mighta been different too. It sounded like, like everything was different, a-and now everything's broken. Everyone's all obsessed with halves, and broken stuff, cause it's what we got left with."



Um...
Do you wanna... talk about how to get beads?



"Oh. Uh, sure. Yer prolly just gonna have to get a job. Bonsai's a good place to look fer jobs related to gardening and makin' stuff. Ya might like it. And if ya can't find a job, ya can always turn to scavenging outside the city, like I do. I dunno if ya even need beads, though, like... do ya need to sleep, or eat?"

Dunno.

"Hm. Well, prolly better that ya earn beads for SOME reason, even if ya don't know what yet."