[Video]

[beefaroni]

[It's taken Asterios a few tries to get this thing to work - technology is still beyond him, really. But he's pretty sure he got it working this time, though he gives the screen a few more pokes just in case. Holding it in one hand, he tries to angle it so it only shows his face, and not his giant horns and his scarred body. He figures the less they see the better his odds. Anyway...]

... It is clear. Staying... a while.

[He speaks slowly, his voice surprisingly soft if you don't know him.]

While here... I am, thinking, maybe... learn, more words. Easier to... communicate? Want to learn words. Any words. But... can offer. Little, in return.

[Pause, trying to think it over.]

 Am strong. If need strength... I can, lift. Carry. Break. Fight. In exchange.

Okay. Thank you.

[A beat. Is he missing anything?]

... Asterios. Name is... Asterios.

Comments

[mindseer]

There we go. You're getting it. You're badass. By the way, it works as an adjective, and as a noun.

...

You know what a noun is right?

[beefaroni]

... Person. Place. Thing?

[next level education!]

[mindseer]

Right and an adjective says something about a noun and describes it. "Bad-ass" can be both, but it is basically the same either way. You are a bad-ass, or He is bad-ass.

Understand?

[beefaroni]

... Think so.

Can a person be... a bad-ass bad-ass?

[technically...]

[mindseer]

I mean, that's kind of putting a hat on a hat, but yeah. I guess that could work in a way. At least technically.

[Terezi, ease into the idioms!]

[beefaroni]

I don't wear hats.

[what in gods name has this conversation devolved into]

[mindseer]

[An average troll conversation, sadly. They were frequently this stupid.]

No, no. It's a saying. If you wore a hat, you wouldn't wear a hat on top of a hat would you, right? Well, technically you can, but it'd look a little silly. At the same time, technically you can be a bad-ass bad-ass, but it's not really necessary. A badass is already badass.

So, hat on a hat?

[beefaroni]

... Hat on a hat. Not good. Badass... already, badass. Do not need... to say twice.

[Close enough.]

[mindseer]

Yeah, you've basically got it. You don't usually have to repeat yourself if you're speaking english. Say it once, and that will get the idea across.

And hats on hats can be funny, but call me crazy [Stop doing that, Terezi.] but you aren't usually the sort to tell a joke, are you?

[beefaroni]

I do not... tell jokes. I do not... understand. Jokes. Do not... laugh.

[mindseer]

Yeah, I kind of thought that. Ok, so for you then. Hat on a Hat's definitely bad. I'll try to steer you away from the funnies, though you might make people laugh on accident I think.

[beefaroni]

Laugh on... accident?

[mindseer]

Yeah, so... Different people find different things funny. You seem like the sort of person that could make someone laugh on accident. You didn't intend it to be funny but they thought it was.

[beefaroni]

Is that good... or bad?

[mindseer]

If you ask me? That's a good thing. Making folks laugh is almost always not a bad thing. But I know it's not really your plan either, so we can avoid a little bit of that so you don't get too confused.

[Or, ya know, offended and go berserk, because that was a legit concern in her book.]

[beefaroni]

... Okay.

I will do... what you think. Is best.

[mindseer]

[Oh, she was tempted to abuse that trust, but she knew better. Nope, bad idea bad idea.]

Let's be careful on the humor then. Uh, why don't we try a few things you don't know. Is there something you want to know the word for? You could describe it.

[beefaroni]

[Hmmm. What words would he use on a day to day basis?]

... Things that are... dangerous.