An overworked elven researcher once asked his human assistant:
"Hey man, do you think you could—"
"What are you doing?"
Lugh interrupted Zhou's performance mid-sentence, his voice flat.
"I'm role-playing,"
She responded awkwardly.
He exhaled, expression blank.
"Don't do that."
She pouted.
"Fine."
But continued anyway.
"Hey man, I don't suppose you could help me with this stuff—"
"What stuff?"
"We're trying to increase the output of mana,"
Zhou said with a dramatic flourish.
"But it's a never-ending slug. I'm tired. My brain is tired. I want to go home and lie down on a bed of feathers."
"Well, you can just do that."
The human's response was nonchalant.
"What do you need me for?"
The elf shifted in his seat, suddenly sitting straighter, more animated.
"I don't suppose... you could help me think up... things."
"What things?"
"How to increase the mana output of circles."
There was a pause.
