Reid would follow along the way to the sanctuary of desserts, Smiley rolling along, and Binary floating after.

Walking along the way, he did look over towards Anthony, attempting his best reassuring smile. "If it helps, I'm not actually stranded." He'd gesture towards Esther. "The ship poofing was kinda... recent occurrence. Was tryna figure what to do, 'cause I know there'd be a way back... which! I wasn't wrong. Just didn't think it'd be by friendly dessert trader... which, don't look a gift bot in the audio output mechanism and all!" He'd give a thumbs up. "And I think Miso'll be fine! Tough hero!" He'd look towards Miso, giving a solid nod.

Binary seemed to float a bit more towards Winter, digital eyes trained on the device she used to project her voice, than towards the fox herself. "Bop-bo bip-brep-beep-ska-beep bop-skrrt-brap-brrt-ska-pap bip-bee pap-bee-brrt-ska bep-brrt-pip-bop-bee bee-brrt-bip-breep-brrt-bip boop-bop-bee-ba-bee-skdaa-bop-bap-bep-ba be-beep-bap-brep-bep-skrrt-bop-bo-be?"

Reid looked towards Winter after Binary's long string of beeps that seemed to hold an inquisitive tone. "Erm... sorry, they're askin' if your voice box's okay. If... the question isn't minded. They're a lil' bit of a worrywart!" There'd be a glance towards Reid at that, before he'd smile towards Binary, lightly blowing a raspberry at the drone, who returned the favor, albeit only in sound.

The group ABSOLUTELY follows the half-blissian to her dessert sanctuary.

Bipip has yet to report her own problem, so focused was she on Reid and Miso's problems. But it finally begins to sink in she has a similar problem to Reid and that this might solve HER problem at the same time. She still doesn't voice it yet, though.

Miso hears the concern for Winter and was wondering the same. Grateful someone else asked.

Anthony says, "Quite nice of you, Esther. I um... I... thinkIcanhelp." he mutters that last bit. But doesn't repeat himself should she miss it.

Esther turns a curious look at the curt fox, but doesn't think much of it.  She giggles at Reid converting the gift horse saying into a robot one.  Once in her shop she takes out a powered ice cream scooper, does a quick finger flip with it like she's a gunslinger, then hands it over to Anthony with a smile.  Then from a wall cabinet she takes out an BIG glass bowl to hand him.  It could easily feed more than a dozen humans if completely filled.

"Thank you for helping, Anthony.  Any flavor our hero points to, he gets.  And if he's in a sharing mood, he can ask what flavors his new friends would like.  I'll handle the rest."

She nods to Bipip and then the video-phone to indicate she's been elected to help Ried phone home.  Then it's taking out fresh brownie batter and popping it into the oven, heating up the syrups, hand-whipping the cream, and so on.  This sundae's going to be the stuff of legends!

Cherry also helps by setting the table height to be ideal for a grenu then getting appropriately sized chairs for the guests such that everyone can sit together.

Winter watches Binary, then looks at her device, then looks back.  She gives a thumbs-up in reply.

Her eye's gaze then turns to Anthony's huge bowl and Esther's flurry of activity.  Oh.  Not just a mere ice cream cone for the doggy, it seems.  Would she be allowed to share too?  She tries a taste of ice cream from the sample basket, and her eyelid gets heavy.

Reid looked towards Miso, before shifting around in his pack. He didn't want to be mean and get a second 'sample', so if the notion of sharing was to be brought up, he'd at least offer a thing in return, even if there has yet to be a lack of mention of such from Miso. He'd pull out a bag of jerky, but before he could say much there was a slightly high pitch but low volume beep. Reid'd look towards Binary, blinking a bit before going 'oh', and looking back towards Miso, holding the bag out. "... S'not ice cream, but somethin' you could keep it for travels... ya know, when done with the ice cream? Since you helped, only fair you get a thing for later, and all the ice cream now?"

Smiley seemed to stay to one of the walls, given his size the habit was borne out of not blocking people's path, but he still spoke up. This robot wasn't a socially avoidant sort! "If any assistance is needed while I am aboard this vessel, please do not hesitate to ask!" The statement seemed moreso directed towards Esther and Cherry, but given the robot did not move to face either, it could be excused to mistake for otherwise.

Reid looked towards Bipip, than the phone as it was nodded to. He gave a small grumble.
_{"Jerky reward first.... phone call... hrmmmm. Second. I'm gonna sound like the worst courier..."}

Anthony smiled. Once again, he failed to communicate what he was getting at with his offer of help, buuuuut... he is given the opportunity to help serve the guy who got beat up trying to keep Reid and others safe. In the moment, that somehow feels nicer than what he wanted to offer. Especially if it means he can give his offer on top of this later. He says to Esther, "Thanks!" almost too enthusiastically before immediately blushing from his enthusiasm.

Miso pondered. "One scoop Raspberry. And one scoop of Coffee? And one scoop of Chocolate Fudge Brownie." He nodded decisively. "And thank you so much, Esther! The gift of sharing is made all the sweeter when it's your stuff! But for everyone's sake, I'm going to insist everyone have no more than two scoops. I know what I can handle, but I don't want anyone here to get sick." Miso smiled at Reid. "Thanks! I really like those!" He bumps Reid's arm with a paw.

Bipip hopped in place at Reid's mumbling. "Reid! Reid!" she wiggled her little T-Rex arms at him as she hopped to get his attention. "I don't have a way off this station either. But I'm no failure! And neither are you!" she cheers at him. "Bad things happen to all of us! Sometimes the timing just happens to be on your first day. But it's not your fault!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:44, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

Esther smiles sooo much to hear Anthony say "Thanks" for being put to work!  Makes her feel like she's back home.

"You just made me so happy, Anthony.  Thank you and you're welcome!"

She's also sooo happy that Miso took the hint big time.  She smiles and blushes from his compliment.

Cherry nods to Miso. "Agreed!  And we keep a close watch over all our customers to make sure their visit here is a pleasant one.  That means we won't let 'em indulge themselves sick."

Sweet waffle batter is whipped up and poured into the waffle iron with incredible efficiency of movement.  The gigantic brownie is taken out of the oven, chomped with a huge cookie cutter that made it just the right size and shape to fill the bottom of the bowl, and slipped into said bowl in the same fluid motion as the one next used to open the waffle iron already done baking the ice cream cone disc.

Esther's ears wiggle.  Glancing at Lev, she chimes in, "Bipip's right, sweetie.  Your loved ones will understand.

"And consider me your way off if need be, Bipip."

Cherry nods to Smiley.  "How 'bout you pick out the music, hon?"

She half expects him to BE a jukebox, but if not indicates a jukebox nearby.

Winter's not sure how this is supposed to go.  But Miso seemed nice enough.  And this ice cream is sooo worth the risk.  She tips the sample basket and points at the label of the flavor she tried.

"Caramel Marshmallow Vanilla Bean," it reads.

Reid nodded towards both Bipip and Esther, a small smile forming on his face. "'least the delivery went well still! Failure's not in the delivery... than I'd really hafta question it." He'd look towards Bipip, raising a brow. "Wait a minute. I know how I got stuck here... how'd you get stuck here? If ya don't mind the inquiry?" He'd focus a glance towards Bipip, raising a brow. He was hopeful that it wasn't due to anything bad. Missed the time to get off the station... but given why he was sort of stuck, he couldn't rule out concern.

Smiley raised an arm and gave a ecstatic-for-a-robot thumbs up, before looking towards everyone present. "As a choice in music has been requested, it would be rude of me not to inquire about the input of everyone's auditory tastes! Is there any types of music preferred, or generally not preferred, by the audience present?"

Binary glanced towards Reid, before floating down to his height, slightly bumping against the rat-boy's other shoulder. Reid looked over for a moment, before deadpanning. "Coulda just said it..." He'd smirk, before looking towards Miso, bumping Miso's arm back in the same friendly gesture.

Bipip says, "I don't know, Reid! I had a ride and then they took off without me and never came back."

Miso looks over to Smiley. "Preference for something upbeat, but I'd like the volume to be lowish. Enough you can sing to it if you want, but you can also easily talk over it without need to raise your voice."

Anthony nods, "I like the song Garfshnarkle by The Oogleflags."

Miso says, "That works fine." then looks at Reid. "Coulda said what?"

Anthony starts serving ice cream to people. He starts with Winter since she was the first besides Miso to state a preferred flavor. When he gets to Winter, he asks, "Remind me... what was your involvement with Charlie?"

Bipip sees the ice cream being served. "I'm full from the doughnut hole! But I'd still like a little ice cream. How about... cherry?"

Anthony doesn't have to state his preference since he can just serve himself. BUT he is taking his blissian-given task seriously and decides he'll have his after he has served everyone else first.

(( Searched Garfshnarkle and got music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuO7Qgw0TM  Searched Oogleflag and got music:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWz0qVvBZ0  XD ))

Esther was wondering the same and is a little relieved that Reid handled the potentially embarrassing question, a feeling that reminds her just how different she is from a real Blissian.  She doesn't want to admit that she has no idea who the Oogleflags are, so she simply nods to the suggestion.  Again being reminded of just how two-faced she can be.  But the seed of self doubt is crushed under a mountain of memories of affirmation from family and friends which helps her stay focused on the task at hand.  Within seconds the random pile of ice cream balls in a giant bowl becomes a delux sunday with banana bunny ears, whipped cream hair, waffle cone tube whiskers, chocolate syrup drizzle fur pattern, marshmallow eyes, and a cherry nose.

"Thanks for pitching in, everyone," Esther says with a big smile.

Cherry cheers Bipip's choice of flavor then sets a serving spoon next to the sundae, then an individual bowl and spoon for each of the guests.  In her experience it's much better to share this way than everyone eating out of the big bowl.

Winter imagines an idyllic scene of baby seals playing gleefully with one another on a pristine shore...  Unaware of the poisonous oil spill creeping silently toward the shore threatening to kill everyone in unrelenting sticky corruption.

Her gaze turns to Anthony.  After a pause, she slowly shakes her head no.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:56, Sat 02 Apr 2022.

Smiley looked towards Miso at the question, responding just short of the rat boy opening his mouth, Reid crossing his arms just a bit with a slight huff at the robot. "Nothing of concern sir! You made the friendly gesture of bumping one's arm, and the recipient forgot to return the favor! Binary did their own variance on the act of reminding!"

Reid turned a little red in the face at the robot's exclamation of such, before nodding. "Should've thought a lil' quieter on that...."

Reid would speak up a bit louder from the very quiet self-whisper. "Smiley's right... Binary helps a little bit with reminders about... not accidentally ignoring friendly gestures! Which, sorry 'bout that."

Binary floated up and down like a nod as if to confirm what both were saying. After a moment, Binary's 'eyes' seemed to take a new image, both taking the image of musical discs, playing the requested song at an intermediate volume friendly for conversation and listening. If the song had lyrics, they would be played as they were, no beeping, oddly enough. They turned their gaze towards Anthony as if to confirm if the song was correct.

Reid glanced towards Bipip, taking a moment to process the left behind notion. ".... Well that's mean! Hrmph. Well, no more taking off without a Bipip now. I don't think anyone who's good with desserts can compute the meanness to do that." He'd look towards Esther, giving a thumbs up!

Anthony sweatdrops at Winter. "...uh... I'm confused. What do you mean no? You don't wanna answer for some reason? Or you weren't involved at all?"

Miso gives Reid a "huh?" look. Then shrugs. "To each their own..."

To Reid's comment to Bipip, Miso says, "Reid's right, Bipip. We gotchya."

Bipip bounces in place. "Thank you! This means I have friends again!"

Winter's half-lidded eye fixes on Anthony.  She whispers something in reply, her lips forming just two syllables.  She then glides to the table and takes a bite from the flavor of ice cream she'd asked for, and her eye closes completely.  Her hood wiggles a little as her right ear turns toward Reid, and the other turns toward Bipip.  Shame.  Abandonment.  Noted.

Esther leans over to give Anthony a shoulder hug and whisper in his ear, "I think she doesn't want to talk about that.  Let's enjoy the sundae."

Esther bites her lip, holding something back, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of someone deliberately abandoning Bipip.  She then takes a seat near Bipip to give the tiny lady a comforting pet.  "That's right you do!"

Esther watches Winter enjoy the ice cream with a smile that shows she's super happy that the dark fox enjoys the dessert.  Then with a wiggle of her bunny tail, she eagerly watches for everyone else's reactions to the elaborate sundae.

"So your robot friends can read your mind, Reid?  Neat!"

Reid gave a so-so gesture in regards to Smiley. "Sorta! More like if I say somethin' too loudly he's gonna hear it. Which isn't bad! Means if I'm in trouble, he should know, 'cause Binary'd know.... like a small assembly line of information!" He'd look towards Binary, giving a thumbs up. Binary gave an affirmative beep, before looking toward Smiley. Smiley responded with their robotic thumbs up after a few moments.

"You do indeed have friends! In this case, barring external situations that cannot be commanded or commandeered by those present, your newfound acquiantances should be able to remain by your side within reasonable notions! Abandonment is highly unlikely with the supportive nature observed from those present!" Smiley reached down to Bipip, offering a robo-hand shake.

Anthony blushes from the whisper and nods. He noms his ice cream.

Miso says, "Sure is nice being treated like a V.I.P., Esther. Thanks. Given Reid and Bipip's situation, though, are you taking in strays? I'd like to work for you if you have a job... the benefits are irresistible."

Winter feels like she is being watched.

Bipip hops into Smiley's hand! She smiles at him. "Smiley!" she says, spreading her arms in celebration at even the mention of his name.

Anthony looks at Binary. "Um... sorry about earlier... wanna dance?"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Master?  Is that you?

---

If not, Winter doesn't want to tip off whomever it might be.  So she casually gets up to "get a closer look" at the ice cream selection.  Instead she uses the chance to search for the spy through a new perspective and reflections in various shiny surfaces.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:53, Tue 19 Apr 2022.

Esther head-tilts at Reid in curiosity.  "So I misunderstood when you said you should have 'thought quieter?'"

She blink-blinks with a weirded-out look on her face at Smiley's strange way of expressing happiness.  The bunny then smiles over to Miso and nods.  "How could I not?  And sure!  I can't offer high pay, but you're right about employees having all the sweets they can ever want."

Bipip's adorable gesture makes her blush and giggle.  Esther then looks back to Reid.  "Please.  Try some.  I'd love to hear what you think of the sundae."

Reid nodded, acquiring a respectable size of ice cream sundae. It wasn't the biggest portion, especially given Reid's stature, but it was sizeable enough to satiate most peoples ice cream cravings on such scale. He'd take a taste test bite, before giving a bit of a wide smile, and thumbs up from the hand with the spoon in it. "How'd ya make the ice cream? I've eaten lotsa store-bought stuff... it's good! But nooooot like this? Hm. Maybe it's a texture or storage thing? Or well, how it's made too!"

Smiley's monitor could emote a bigger smile, but generally too big a smile could be a little creepy to some! So instead, the big robot would add two smaller corner smiley faces to the monitor screen, carefully lifting the Bipip up in hand!

Binary turned towards Anthony. There was a moment of computation, before two small slots opened, small but decently well-made utility arms extending out from the slots. The arms extended out a decent bit, sharing a similar noodle-like flow to that of Smiley, likely for ease of storage and compression. There was a series of three beeps as Binary extended a hand to the deer!
This message was last edited by the player at 23:41, Wed 25 May 2022.

Bipip hops happily in Smiley's hand and says, "Thank you, friendly bot!"

Miso gives a smile to Esther. "Thanks. Appreciate it."

Anthony takes the offered hands and blushes as he starts trying his hand at dancing. He seems OK at it. Just lacks confidence.

Esther is sooo happy!  Everyone likes her sundae, Anthony is dancing, Bipip is being super adorable, Miso's going to be helping out, and even the strange lady looks like she's interested in more ice cream!

"So glad you like, everyone.  And I really appreciate the feedback.  Thank you!"

To Reid she gladly shows off her Blissian-tech ice cream machine.  (( Looks like this: https://www.trustedreviews.com.../06/Lakeland-F-1.jpg  only large enough to make those big buckets of ice cream you see at parlors. ))

"My ice cream is made very traditionally.  I do sneak in a little extra cream than the recipe calls for.  I feel it makes it smoother, and I can make it at a slightly lower temperature.  The trad-off is that it melts a little faster and isn't quite as sweet.  But I figure the toppings and stuff compensate well enough for the downsides.  What do you think?"

Winter looks relieved.  She turns to look at the others, slowly scanning the room.

Binary seemed to have at least some protocols for dancing, and the type of arms utilized assisted with a decent flow of movement from the floating robot. They did adjust the volume of music they played a bit so as to not cause any ear ouch for the dancing deer! Reid did look over, giving a bit of a grin and thumbs up. "Binary's the best dancing friend to ask for! They float, so there's not gonna be any stepping on toes! Or tripping! And they can do the spinny move really well!"

"Your thanks is greatly appreciated and welcome!" Smiley used their other hand to give a very light pat to Bipip, force applied adjusted for the Bipip in hand!

Reid looked towards the ice cream machine with excitement, approaching and looking with a curious and keen eye at it, the rat-tail of his seeming to wag just a bit. "Coooool! Itsa good idea 'cause... yeah, it could melt faster. But, lotsa people tend to eat the ice cream before it gets all goopy! If okay to ask, what all's the ice machine able to do?"