subsystem | video/voice.

[ This is a video that features no people: instead, what's filling the screen is artfully-arranged sweets. Lots and lots of sweets. The dragon boat races were a grand success for the restaurant Kitty works for, and so they were contracted to cater a party in exchange for work from a construction firm for an expansion of their floor space. What you're seeing is the catering before it goes out. And Kitty, whose voice is cheerful and bright and rather thickly London-accented, narrates: ]

Some of you stopped by our booth at the race the other day, so you already know, but this is what we've got to offer at Restaurant Modak. And believe me - all of this looks pretty, but that doesn't even compare to how it tastes. Forget going into a simulation or a Matrix to get the absolute height of a dining experience. This food surpasses anything you'll find out there - and it's got the added advantage of being really, absolutely real.

[ Another pass over the food. She continues. ]

Some of you might be thinking that you haven't got what you need to trade for food of this quality. How could you possibly? Well - you'll be really glad of this next bit. Our going rates are beyond reasonable. We'll even give a good meal for nothing more than a vase of flowers, a bit of sugar - or even just you helping with the washing up. Right here, on the network, you can tell me what you've got for barter and I'll tell you just what sort of meal that'll get you.

[ And then the video switches off, like a cruel tease. ]

Remember: Restaurant Modak. Reasonable prices, food so good you won't even believe it's real. All on layer forty-four.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ...what a horrible first question. But, well, she's...not...going to lie. Sigh. ]

It's mostly synthetic. But you REALLY can't tell the difference.

[ ...okay, she is going to lie. ]

[Liar. Which is just a guess, but probably right.]

So the sugar in the Real isn't real.

Well, it's real synthetic. So in a way of thinking, yeah, it's totally real.

Yeah.

Great sales pitch.

[ Eurgh, how irritating. ]

A skilled baker can work with synthetic sugar. And our chef's the best in all of Zion, you know. Without exception.

Too bad that's not a better boast.

It's a GREAT boast. And if you don't know that, then you've DEFINITELY never tasted sweets like ours. I mean...You haven't liked synth sugar sweets before, right? I assume you haven't.

Or any.

Come on. That boast is like saying it's the best of the worst. But they did look good, you've got that part.

Hold on. Are you saying you don't like sweets at ALL?

None of us do.

I do.

Edited 2015-05-19 21:45 (UTC)

It's more complicated than that. Whatever you thought you were tasting, wasn't real.

Oh. You were being philosophical.

Well, whether we were ACTUALLY tasting it or just THOUGHT we were tasting it, that doesn't make what we actually like and believe any less true. So, yeah, I think we can actually have liked sweets in the past.