Inbox [cerealia]

[cardboard_journalism]

"Sss, sss, sss.

You've reached the desk of Myriam Scuttlebutt.

If you're calling to submit a story to the Cerealia Times, please press 1.

If you're calling to inquire about employment with the Cerealia Times, please press 2.

If you're calling to make a complaint about a story in the Cerealia Times, you are free to hang up. Complaints will only be accepted as submitted letters to the editor, delivered in physical form.

If you're calling for any other reason, please leave a message after the beep."

[boop]

[if 1 is pressed]

"You've reached the extension for submitting a story to the Cerealia Times. Please describe your story after the beep. For reference, please include your name and contact information. You may also make your tip anonymously, or ask for anonymity. As a source, your anonymity is protected by law, and will not be revealed without your express permission.

Kahk-kahk... Keep in mind, you cannot be financially compensated for information you provide, for reason of journalistic ethics. ...no, really, journalists aren't supposed to do that."

[boop]

[if 2 is pressed]

"The Cerealia Times is in need of correspondents, reporters, photojournalists, and delivery personnel.

Correspondent: you are expected to respond to stories that break out in an assigned section of Cerealia, report the information at the scene, interview witnesses, and supply written stories. Mild literacy is required.

Reporters: you are expected to actively pursue assigned stories and conduct related interviews in a timely manner. Mild interpersonal skills a plus, but not essential. With approval, you will be free to investigate your own stories.

Photojournalists: you are expected to record newsworthy events on film. This may require taking shots under suboptimal conditions.

Delivery personnel: you are expected to transport, unload, and fold bundles of newspaper around Cerealia.

All of these jobs take long hours and are very demanding... but they're worth it. --Except for the delivery job, that's just busywork. Sss, sss!

Leave your contact information, desired post, and brief description of your experience, if any!"

[boop]

[action thread continuations can go here too!]

Comments

[2]

[journaler]

[Leia doesn't know how to feel about this. On the one hand, she should be excited; this is an opportunity to do what she really wants to do. On the other... didn't she miss out on a major opportunity? To be her own boss, to run things her own way.

Maybe that's not what she wanted anyway. Maybe it's not really too late.

She isn't exactly prepared when the beep comes, but she doesn't know what else she was expecting.]

Hi! Um, this is Leia Rolando... a journalist originally from Rieze Maxia. I saw your advertisement for the Cerealia Times and I'd really like to help.

I can cover almost every position until we can get more help, but in particular, I have a lot of experience with interviews and article-writing. [as well as procrastinating and staying up ridiculous hours to meet deadlines--but she'll leave that part out.]

Let's talk when you have the time. Happy holidays!

[End message.]

Re: [2]

[cardboard_journalism]

[the return call would come back almost immediately]

[ring ring ring]

[journaler]

[Oh.

...Leia stares at her CereVice for a moment, but snaps out of it and picks up with haste.]

H- Hello, this is Leia speaking!

[cardboard_journalism]

Leia Rolando? Perfect!

This is Myriam Scuttlebutt, getting back to you. Sss, sss, sss.

You're a fellow journalist? It's a pleasure! A real pleasure! I want to get you on board with us right away. What do you think?

[journaler]

["Us"... she wonders about that, but her excitement catches on.]

That's great! Like, really really great!

I've been living here in the city for about two months now, and I've always thought we could use a newspaper. I just knew I couldn't do it all by myself.

Where do you think our place of business should be?

[cardboard_journalism]

[It could easily just be Scuttlebutt and her box at this point]

Glad to see we're on the same page, so to speak. Sss, sss, sss!

Hm, you mean like an official office? I think we can get by without it at this stage...

Okay, I'm gonna level with you. I haven't exactly gotten this 'officially' registered yet. A free press is the best press, I think we can both agree. However, this is my plan...

--wait, actually, can we meet in person? I'm not sure how much I trust these... device things, and whether or not they can be hacked. Kahk-kahk...

[journaler]

[She's interested in hearing what Myriam has to say! So she interrupts herself, Leia takes a moment to react.]

Oh! Uh, sure. Just tell me where.

[It's not as if she knows what Myriam looks like anyway--not yet. The box should be a pleasant surprise.]

[cardboard_journalism]

Hm... well... you probably know this place better than me. What's a nice place we could meet and go unnoticed?

[journaler]

["Tell me where you are" is what she really meant, but she won't bother now. Leia thinks about it for a moment and then has an idea.]

My favorite cafe... it's probably not too crowded right now.

You'll have to take the train, but I can text you some directions.

[cardboard_journalism]

Sss, sss, sss! Works for me! I'll head out right now, even.

[journaler]

Okay! Then so will I.

[She readies her typing fingers! She doesn't give directions too often, but... it shouldn't be hard?] See you soon, Myriam!

[cardboard_journalism]

Likewise!

[now she had to figure out these directions...]

[soon she'd be on her way to that cafe from her apartment. Perhaps she'd even arrive first...?]

[journaler]

[Perhaps. Leia certainly doesn't think so however...

When she shows up at the cafe, she eyes the mysterious package that seems to be looming outside of it. It's just... kind of there? It's literally impossible to ignore, and even passersby have been sneaking a peek.

Leia will do the same, tilting her head as she leans in to get a better look.]

[cardboard_journalism]

[Myriam was rather short, but it'd become obvious very quickly that the package had arms, legs, and presumably eyes gazing through the slat]

Sss, sss, sss.

[As if to remove all doubt, familiar hissing sounds of her breathing could also be heard]

[journaler]

[Yep, that would be her........

Leia squints, and upon closer inspection, she can actually see her eyes.]

Myriam? What are you doing in there?

[cardboard_journalism]

Oh... you must be Leia!

[the hat looked "news-y," which was a plus already in Scuttlebutt's book]

Pleased to meet you! Come on inside, let's discuss things.

[journaler]

[For a moment, she considers how the staff might react, seeing a boxed person. Then she decides they've probably seen weirder things, and just kind of goes along with it.]

Sure thing. Er...

[She looks at the box, then the entrance to the cafe, considering their widths. Then she quickly grabs the door's handle, holding it open so she can get inside.]

[cardboard_journalism]

... [somehow the actual math involved in spatial distances hadn't occurred to Scuttlebutt]

Er, thanks...

[she quickly scuttled in]

[journaler]

[They might be getting a couple odd looks here or there, but otherwise slip in unnoticed. Leia guides her to a seat quickly--a spacious one with some room, and she looks around as if she's never been here before.

(She has.)]

So... [Is she going to wear that box the entire time...] What's this plan you mentioned?

[cardboard_journalism]

[she took a seat, carefully]

It's... ambitious... but so am I.

I've got enough physical material ready to put together a newspaper... but not enough fodder to fill the actual columns with content. Puts a kibosh on the whole operation, doesn't it? Sss, sss, sss. No one wants to read a blank paper, no matter how nice the pages look.

So, I need stories. Lots of stories. Enough stories that, if I was going to do this all be myself, it'd take days to write out, even if I was working flat out, morning to night. --Especially since I just got here and hardly anyone knows me. I'm not exactly operating on home territory.

But, I can't wait too long either, or else I risk losing the impression that a newspaper existing here is "normal".

Given this, I intend to rush out a paper as soon as possible. People start reading, it gains some amount of followers, more contributors join, pretty soon it's on a level of popularity and regularity I can afford to start thinking about income. Start charging for classifieds, and such. Not much; I'm a journalist, not a businesswoman, but enough to keep it sustainable and make sure everyone involved gets compensated.

Then, voila! The Cerealia Times is strong, and it's a victory for the free press. Heck, maybe it'll encourage others, or at least get us more answers about what's going on from the CERES people.

What do you think?

[journaler]

[Seeing the enthusiasm in someone else is heartwarming, and Leia definitely gets swept up in it. It's definitely the push she needs, even if her plan might not take off the way she intends.]

Well, I think we have the right mindset! I'm no businesswoman either... my boss always handled all that stuff. But I think if we work together, we could do it!

I've pulled all-nighters before...

It's been a while, but if you really want to set a hard deadline, I could do it again. I just need subject matter.

[cardboard_journalism]

Excellent! I have as well. Sss, sss, sss.

Anything newsworthy! Reports on local businesses, events, the weather, details about people's lives before Cerealia... Something beyond what people already find out via the network. I hear what everyone really wants to know is if these "flamines" are real. Let's make finding that out our ultimate goal.

You know the standards of newsworthiness?

[Voicemail]

[redcinemareel]

[The number is only listed as "Miss Tattler" and not from her own direct number. Anonymity is important for what she inquires about.]

Does the Cerealia Time have space for a gossip column?

[cardboard_journalism]

[the reply would come back almost immediately]

Cerealia Times! Not 'Time'! And anyway... yes! The Cerealia Times has space for anything!

[though... had she called the tip extension, or the seeking positions extension, or neither?]

...damn my typos lol orz

[redcinemareel]

[Neither! Since the options weren't really geared toward her inquiry.]

My mistake! So sorry about that!

Is there a deadline? I'd have to see how quickly I can gather my resources.