Think Tank

"Think Tank" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
Part One
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
Jari saw Dixie from across the room at a table and quickly approached him, spilling some of her drink as she makes her way through the crowd. "Yoooooou!" She calls out as she nears the man... She may have had a bit to drink at this point.
Jun 2, 2020
The man appeared the be in the middle of a debate with some associates as to exactly why all his cannons could not have color coordinated smoke, but the others backed off at the young Vikings approach.
Dixie turned to her as he placed the tips of his fingers to his chest. "Me?"
Jun 2, 2020
She nods enthusiastically as she takes a seat across from him, dropping her mug on the table, causing some of her ale to slosh out. "Yur the guy who made the... The..." She pauses for a second. "Fuck what is that thing called... The thing that goes boom and sends the ball really far away."
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie turned to his associates. "See this?! Do you see this right here? Even she knows, I have no idea who this is, but she knows!"
One of the men hesitated. "Sir...I don't think she's talking about the lack of color. I don't think anyone has noticed that. I think she just means the cannons in general."
Dixie whirled on Jari again. "Is that true?"
Jun 2, 2020
"Cannons! That's what their called!" She takes another drink. "Sorry what were you askin'? I just came over to talk shop really."
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie opened his mouth to go on another rant of the disaster that was his bland canons, and his associates braced themselves. But instead he paused. "Talk shop you say? Shop as in buying or creating?"
Jun 2, 2020
"Making!" She says a little too loudly. "I'm an inventor myself and I'd love to speak to someone of a similar mind as me. Like for instance how do you make the cannons fire the thing."
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie found himself intrigued yet again during his visit, and sat up at little straighter in his chair. He didnt seemed to mind at all over how expressive Jari was.
"Zippleback gas canisters. I originally got the idea from an incredibly inventive viking who pioneered dragon riding. I just borrowed the concepts of his idea and made them...well...plus sized."
Jun 2, 2020
She hums as she sits back a bit, more relaxed in posture than Dixie. "That makes sense, though I can't imagine that it's very cheap or easy to extract. At least not in the quantities you'd need."
Jun 2, 2020
"Hm yes. It is difficult." Dixie admitted. "The dragon ranches I need to produce the canisters must be extremely accommodating. On top of that, the dragons must be both cooperative and cycled carefully so as not to exhaust them. I do intend to put more research into alternatives, if there are any."
Jun 2, 2020
"Oh there is." She says as she takes a big drink from her mug, bringing it to near empty.
Jun 2, 2020
"Yes. I'm sure that with enough digging we can...." Dixie stared off into space for a hot second, and then blinked once slowly. "Sorry...did you just say...that there is? As in know of an alternative?"
Jun 2, 2020
She pops her mug down. "Hm?... Oh yeah, I made an explosive powder. Probably not as strong as Zippleback gas but sure as Hel cheaper to make."
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie slowly leaned back. "Explosive...powder..." he drummed his fingers on the table, and then reached a hand out for some of his men. "Would you kindly make sure my friend here has protection until she sobers up." He looked back to Jari. "Young rebel, you have obtained my undivided attention. Permit me your name?"
Jun 2, 2020
She snorts at the exchange and keeps giggling as she begins to speak. "Jari Ericson."
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie shook her hand. "Well Jari I hope you're interested in conducting some business this week. Because I think you and I could strike a deal to the benefit of this rebellion."
Jun 2, 2020
"That..." She says as she holds up her finger for a good five seconds. "Sounds excellent." She brings down her finger to point at Dixie. "What other kind of stuff have you made though?"
Jun 2, 2020
"Wagons are my speciality." Dixie told her. "But thanks to transporting so many different things I was able to expand my business to include man power, weapons, and..." he gave a brief motion to his attire. "Fashion. Very big in some places. Central would just die for fabrics like these, but they wont be seeing a thread of it."
Jun 2, 2020
She hums. "Wagons are good, too bad there's not a way to make it so the animals don't get tired, or to get an animal that just doesn't get tired to pull it."
Jun 2, 2020
"Gronkiles have been excellent." Dixie explained. "They don't get tired easily. And to address the problem further, I did my best to set up outposts where animals could be exchanged or rested, without sacrificing too much progress."
Jun 2, 2020
She nods. "That's smart." She hums as she crosses her arms. "If only there was a way to apply the principals of your cannon to a wagon." She murmurs.
Jun 2, 2020
"Portable canons. That's quite the idea." Dixie said. "My next plan was to implement them to warships since they could handle their size. As appealing the idea is, I have no current idea how to make a lightweight cannon. All previous attempts have rendered them blown apart."
Jun 2, 2020
She hums. "Well I was thinking more along the lines of using explosions to move objects but a miniature canon does sound intriguing. Can't you just use the same material you use to make your big canons and just make em." She holds her hand a few inches apart. "Smol?"
Jun 2, 2020
"My crafting is not as refined as I want sadly." Dixie sighed wistfully. "My attempts to make a smol canon just ends up being a big bomb. But I'll persist."
He paused, and then, with almost a suspicious look, he held out the back of his hands to show is gold painted nails to Jari. "What do think of this color?"
Jun 2, 2020
She looks down at his nails. "Ooo that's pretty!" She squeals. "How did you get it on your nails? Illusion magic or something?"
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie remained calm but an almost enchanted glint had came to his eyes. "No magic, just...oh wait I have it here. Hand." He requested as he pulled Jari's hand over and produced the small vial of nail polish from his pocket.
He then took out a small painting brush, dipped it into the liquid, and ran a swipe of it down one of Jari's nails.
Jun 2, 2020
Jari's mouth became a small o as she watched. "Ooo it's so pretty. Is that like paint or something?"
Jun 2, 2020
"Yes, a very carefully crafted paint. Oh but don't touch your mouth while wearing it. It's not great for that. Would you like the rest of your nails done?"
Jun 2, 2020
She hums. "Mmm not right now. If I can't touch my mouth I can't eat good and this is a party, and party means eat."
"Ah." Dixie took up a cloth napkin and cleaned away the sample of polish from Jari's fingers. "Well young Jari you seem quite forward thinking for your age. How old are you?"
Jun 2, 2020
"I am 17 going on 18~" She sang, humming a few bars after that before getting caught up in the melody.
Jun 2, 2020
Dixie spread. "Not a bad age to begin making a stake in the world. What are your plans moving forward?"
Jun 2, 2020
"Hm?" She looks over, having been brought out of her humming. "Oh ummm.... Well right now I'm head machinist and lead scientist for the Rebellion right now, so I guess I'll be doing that for the time being until we beat Central." She blows a raspberry.
Jun 2, 2020
"You're accomplished. How nice." Dixie congratulated. "I'd say you're fairly well set. That said, my first meeting of business with the chief went well, hopefully ours will to."
Jun 2, 2020
She squints a little, confused. "Is this not business?" She asked in a state of drunken confusion.
Jun 3, 2020
"Always make sure your ideas sound as good sober as they do drunk." Dixie said. "You and I will have a lot to talk about after our respective rest."
Jun 3, 2020
She hums a few times and nods sagely, leaning her head in her hand, eyes closed seemingly deep in thought. Soon after soft snoring could be heard coming from the half-breed.
Jun 3, 2020
Dixie stared at her for a moment, and then leaned back. "Oh that's darling..." he observed, and then stood up.
He dropped his coat around her shoulders and signaled to his mercenary guards to make sure she was watched over, and then carefully made his way further into the party to locate his cousin.