Conversation · Rack of Second-Hand Uniforms

Stop talking about this nerd stuff. It will make you weedy. Buy the damn shirt already, it's powerful.

"I'm going to call bullshit right now."

He smirks. "It's a simple matter of cause and effect, and recognizing that they work in both directions."

"Uh huh, say more?'

"It's simply a matter of recognizing that cause and effect work in both directions."

"I'm not following at all."

"It's not that complicated. All that's required is a more robust understanding of cause and effect."

"I'm totally with you, man. Reality has a way of bending back on itself."

"Exactly. Cause and effect work in both directions."

Sniff the T-shirt.

Smells like worn cotton. And a little old sweat there?

Worn cotton with a side of flea market or trash bin.

"Sniffing is okay," says the shopkeep. "But please don't try anything on. Can't have you leaving your photon emissions in the fabric of things you're not going to buy."

You're not imagining it. Photon emissions? What is he talking about?

"That's a rad Man from Hjelmdall t-shirt you've got there."

"Hell yeah, man." The shopkeep sounds enthusiastic. "I don't usually carry printed tees, but this one was just such a pure exemplar."

"You must be a serious Man from Hjelmdall fan."

"A fan... No, I wouldn't go that far. But I do think the Hjelmdallermann Saga is an integral part of our shared reality."

"Most people don't think that the Man from Hjemdall really existed, but they're wrong."

"We have a lot in common. I'm a big fan of the Man from Hjelmdall too."

He grimaces. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm a fan. But I do think the Hjelmdallermann Saga is an integral part of our shared reality."

Let go of the T-shirt. [Leave.]

The antlers on the hood of the man's cloak and his piercing blue eyes are familiar....

Wow! A very large red T-shirt with an impressive print stands out from the other garb.

Oh yeah?

Oh yeah. The print depicts a muscled man striding toward you, a giant sword in each hand, encircled by burning embers. Behind him is a cluster of cabins engulfed in flames. Beneath him are the words: "HJELMDALL BURNING."

Not now. [Leave.]