middaeg | [Open] Let's count the seasons

[That's getting a nod. The fae's eyes creasing. ] It was pointed out to the owner that he wouldn't make any money at all if all his staff were refusing to work. That he'd earn more with dedicated workers... [Because adults could go on strike, but they'd be more capable and willing to be there. It wasn't like the kids, who'd basically be brought to work there.]

I don't think I've met anyone like that. Rich but doesn't know. [Mikasa was...a simple farm girl. The only rich people she'd seen were the ones who'd fit the first group Momo had mentioned. Corrupt and trying to keep themselves above everyone else. She'd not met any nobles within the walls who'd been generous with their money but-

Her head gave a small jerk as she thought some more. One person coming to mind, Kiyomi. But then it dipped again, her eyes glancing away. Because Kiyomi was nice, she was rich. But she had an ulterior motive too, didn't she? The older woman had wanted to coax Mikasa, her only relative to Hizuru. Calling her things like 'last hope' to the point that Mikasa wasn't sure if it was just a lonely woman clinging to her lost relative, or something else.]

[Momo laughs a bit dryly at the point on not knowing anyone like that.] I've met a few, honestly. The industry I work in back home rakes in big money if you're successful, so there's a mix of people who were born into success and have never known anything else, people who clawed their way up and are happy to kick down anyone who tries to follow, and people who came from modest backgrounds and ended up wildly rich and then don't really know what to do with it.

[Momo points to himself where the last one is concerned, because that basically describes his own situation.] But thinking about it in terms of here, the Aristocratic District is across the city from any of the really poor districts, and separated by the wall from the Outer City. It's not hard to imagine that a sheltered noble might never find a reason to leave the walls or even cross the river to see the state of the poorer parts of the city, is it? It's easy for them to forget, living in a bubble like this.

[That makes her blink, glancing at the ground. It hadn't really occurred to her that Momo had ever been... modest. Even with his moments of being rough, the attempted murder. That just seemed like a rich person thing, like the house and strangeness of what she'd managed to understand about idols.

Would he have been one to donate if he still had that money? It sounded like it, not that it mattered.]

I guess not. Our old nobility, they did everything to keep people out of their part of the walls... The people from the underground had to buy a passport to visit, then get papers to leave. It'd cost more than any living there could afford.

[Something she'd learnt helping Historia with the orphans. A lot of work had been put into collecting them all during their restructuring efforts. ] There's not as much blocking them here, other than the bright wall. [Where the absolute poorest were trapped outside the city.]

I'm still not sure how to ask them though...

[Momo doesn't look terrifically surprised at that, because it's not like that sort of thing doesn't still happen in some places in his world.]

It's harder to do stuff like that in my time besides just having houses be too expensive for certain people to actually live somewhere, but some places still have "gated" communities where only the people who live there and necessary workers can get in and out. So it hasn't died out totally, even if it's rarer.

[Though it just becoming more subtle isn't exactly the best thing ever either. But he shoves that train of thought out, because it's not all that helpful to the ultimate point of the conversation.]

You do kinda have to be direct, but not super blunt or aggressive, either. There are a lot of people in my world who go door-to-door for that stuff, but I don't know that it's as common here, so maybe setting up a table somewhere highly trafficked would be better. Just say you're looking for donations and be honest and pretty detailed about what it's for and let people decide from there.

[That gets a small nod. She understood the idea. There was the main three walls, or two as it had ended up. But there was also the outer districts. The small areas of the walls had that stuck out containing a large town, those were bait. A populated area to draw titans into a cluster instead of attacking the whole wall, it made it easier for the garrison.

Then there was Shiganshina, the district she'd grown up in. It was in the south, were the days were longest and thus the titans were more active. That was the cheapest place to live for that reason. So Mikasa understood it quite well.

Though there's little need to mention that. So she just nodded. Then thinks about a pitch, a hand coming up to scratch her chin.]

I'm blunt...but I'm honest. [Just peering at him. Maybe pride, maybe confused. Would you hire her if this was a job interview Momo? Are you convinced?]

[Momo grins a little at that, like he's trying not to crack his poker face too much, and waves a hand as if inviting her to go on.]

Well then, you can't just tell me that! Pretend I'm some oblivious rich guy you're trying to convince to donate to your cause. I can even act like one if that makes it easier for you.

[He won't do it immediately, but he's more than capable of playing that kind of role if it presses her to think harder about her approach.]

[Momo... Momo, why would you put her on the spot like this. Mikasa just staring at him for a moment. Her mouth hanging open slightly, brain sliding to a halt.]

Huh...Act? [She floundered for another second. Giving another small groan as she tried to think of words. Her black eyes flicking around as she tried to work out what to do.] Um... Excuse me sir, do you like kids?

[She TRy]

[Momo straightens himself up a bit in aid of the role he's meant to be playing here, putting on a more proper posture and expression so he can look mildly down his nose at Mikasa. It has very "rich person who's oblivious to how obnoxious they're being" vibes - his tone isn't unkind, but it's almost confused and a bit harried, as if wondering why he's been stopped by someone who doesn't look like a noble when he has other things to be doing.]

Of course. Who doesn't like kids? But that's a strange question to ask a busy man.

[Read: She's probably going to need to shove their faces at the point a bit harder than she's doing currently.]

[He was 'harried' she was flustered. Improvising in a fight was easy enough, words? Words hard. So for a moment, she frowns, rethinking her approach. Shoulders tensing as she took a small step closer.]

The orphanage children need money for food and clothes, for the winter. [Just going straight to the point in the bluntest way possible, still frowning. Charisma, she does not have it.]

[Thankfully, despite being blunt her wording does make the potential consequences of not having that money hard to ignore - this isn't so much like Momo's world where food is fairly secure regardless of season. So he shifts his expression accordingly, looking somewhere between bemused and concerned.]

Do they not have others taking care of that? I would have thought the owners or the government would take responsibility... [Highlighting the dense for a moment there before he shakes his head as if to move himself on.] I may have something I can spare. How many of them are there?

[Taking the approach of someone potentially deciding to give a certain amount per child, since it's one specific orphanage.]

[Her face was still set in that concentrated frown. Concern, even though the results of this didn't really matter. It wasn't even acting, just some genuine worry for the kids leaking in.]

It recently changed hands. The...[It wasn't a lie, she didn't do that.] The old owner was using them for free labour, the new one is trying to give them a better life.

[It got a wince, because even if it true. The fae had grown up in rougher conditions. It'd been a struggle but while she liked the kids she wasn't sure where to start.]

[Well, at least he knows that Mikasa isn't going to have an issue with sincerity. But he maintains the act for a bit longer, because there's not much point having done it if he doesn't let her drive it home.]

Free labour!? How unsightly, if they were established enough to own a place like that... [He shakes his head.] But how much will be useful for five children and twenty-five would be very different, isn't that right? How many do you need these resources for?

[A gentle nudge back around to the fact that he asked that a moment ago and people may well find it relevant information to how much they donate.]

Ah- [She wilted a little there. Oh she'd forgotten that part of his questioning. Trying to explain the awkward situation the children had been in before.

There was also the number of children. Because-]

There's thirty-six... [A lot of kids. Higher than his highest guess.]

[That is a lot, more than Momo was expecting, but he supposes he shouldn't be surprised. Still, he rolls with it.]

Perhaps a few hundred cunes per child, then, that should at least cover gloves. I'll see if I can't bring it up to the extended family over dinner this weekend, too, they may be able to provide something more...

[And then, rather suddenly, Momo snaps back to his normal self, clapping his hands together.] And that's how you get people on board, though you're definitely gonna get ruder people than me doing it in real life too. But when you get someone, you really have to get them in with the guilt-trippy stuff - the "needing it for winter" makes them have to think about what might happen if they don't donate, right? Make them care and they can bring others in for you.

[Her hunched shoulders, slumped a relieved sigh slipping out as the act ended. Eyes slipping shut as the tension faded. That was... Harder than fighting. A lot more brainpower needed, instead of being able to move on instinct with practiced actions. ]

... I still don't think I'm cut out for this. [Her voice soft, lacking it's normal firm tone.] But I guess it's better than nothing. [Then after a moment, as though she'd forgotten.] Thanks.

Even if you don't think you're cut out for something, a little determination goes a long way. Just think of the kids while you're doing it and I'm sure you'll come through.

[Momo winks, even if it's a pretty genuine statement. Back when he didn't have faith in his ability to do anything well anymore, thinking about the person he wanted to do them for had given him the strength to keep at it and improve. If she doesn't give up with it, he thinks she'll get somewhere.]

I'll talk to some of my contacts, too, see if I can't get some donations sent your way. Even if they might not be the old money bucks.

[She was still slumped, it was almost as though she'd have fallen over if it weren't for those crutches. Though she did manage a small snort.]

Contacts? [Momo, that sounded so shady. And slowly, she turned, readjusting herself to get back to work.] Right... I think I'll just do it the old fashioned way.

[aka she werk.]

[That's just how it be when someone works in the entertainment industry, so Momo shrugs rather unapologetically. You need to know people to get places, it's always been like that.]

Hey, both ways get results! It takes work to get that kind of money even in my time, so keep at it.

[It's not as if ye olde talking directly to people to get donations has stopped being a thing in the future. But they do need to get back to work, so he'll turn his attention back to the apple picking with that last little bit of encouragement.]

[Open] Let's count the seasons

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