Many of the usually active voters haven't reengaged yet. What we need is a good omake that ends with "by the way, vote for WEB MAT".
Ask and you shall receive.
"What are you doing?" Panoramia asks as she walks up to your desk. You murmur your thanks as she sets down a mug of some tea at your desk, thankfully well away from the mess of papers the creation of a branch college has generated.
"Brainstorming a name for the thing to pass the time while I wait for some more documents from Belegar's office," you reply, taking a careful sip from the tea. It's hot and bracing, exactly what you need for the long night of paperwork ahead.
Panoramia settles into an empty chair beside you, peering over your shoulder at the list you've been working on as she drinks her own tea. You move both list and shoulder closer to her for her comfort, an act that earns you a kiss on the cheek before she lays her head down on your shoulder.
"Lots of WEBERS here," she says, tracing the first few items on your list with her free hand.
"I'm trying something new," you reply.
"I'll say." Ah, it seems she's found the WEBIRs.
"Those ones are a bit... well, I've been going back and forth over them a lot."
"It is a bit strange," she agrees. "The pronunciation would probably be a bigger point of discussion than any of the research."
You nod. "That's part of the reason for the back and forth." You smile as one of her words registers in your mind. "If you think that's strange..."
From her position you feel more than see the smile on her face. "WEIRD? Really?"
You huff, unable to keep your own smile hidden. "Why not? It's an accurate description."
"So it is," she says with a chuckle. "So is this next one," she continues, pointing at the Sunrise Society.
"It is. Also a lot simpler than my usual names. I'm—"
"—Trying something new. Right." You feel a bit of a frown as she scans the next one. "WEBMAT..."
You frown yourself. "You don't like it?"
She shakes her head, before standing up. "It reminded me of something," she exclaims. "Wait here. I'll be right back." You turn in your seat to follow her as she walks out of your office, leaving you alone to finish your tea while you wait to see what's bothered her.
You've reduced the tea to a third and, you think, the paper pile by a quarter when Panoramia comes back, a gray bundle in her arms. You move to clear a space on your desk before she puts down the bundle on top of your freshly signed documents.
"This is what WEBMAT reminded you of?" you say, waving at the entirety of the bundle of some sort of cloth. You give Panoramia a wounded look. "I would have thought even the worst of my names would merit a better comparison than this... whatever it is." You lay a hand on your heart. "
You have wounded me to the quick with this simple, thoughtless gesture, madam," you quote. "
I expect recompense most appropriate from you."
Rather than receive the expected reply, Panoramia merely rolls her eyes at your antics. "
The Swindler's Siren, Chapter 14, page 253, paragraph 4," she drily replies, much to your amazement.
"How—?"
She shrugs. "I had a lot of time to myself, and catching up on your reading list was a lot more productive than just spending my time worrying." She waves away the awkward attempt at an apology on your lips. "Anyway, to answer your question, yes, WEBMAT
did remind me of this."
You eye the bundle suspiciously. "I must ask again, how?"
"I remembered your worry that the weavers might figure out silk before you got back," she explains, patting the bundle of cloth. "This is a reassurance that they haven't, yet."
Ah. You turn to Panoramia, your face serious "So that means—"
"Yes," Panoramia replies, her own visage equally serious as your own. "This... is an actual web mat."
The two of you manage to hold the serious atmosphere for only a moment or two before you both collapse into giggles that go on for some time. Whenever one of you is on the verge of stopping, the presence of the web mat elicits further giggles from the both of you, setting off another bout of mirth. At long last, the two of you manage to stop, doubled over from the effort.
Once the two of you have composed yourselves again, you run a hand on the silk bundle. It is, despite the material, rather rougher than you'd expected, reminding you more of the inexpertly sewn patch of armor-silk you'd presented to Belegar years ago than any of the silken products you've seen. It is also not very large, roughly the size of a flag.
"Say, Panoramia, I had an idea," you say thoughtfully.
The tone of your voice makes her pause in the middle of drinking her tea, and your expression of thought makes her frown. "I've seen that look before," she says. "No doubt it's the same one you had when you named your staff
Mistery."
You smile. She's figured it out, then. Not a surprise, considering the wealth of free time she's had recently. "Do you think, if I do go with WEBMAT, I can get away with making this the branch's flag?" you ask, patting the web mat affectionately.
Panoramia snorts indelicately. "If it were anyone but you Mathilde, I would have said no," she replies. "Considering what you've gotten away with already I'd say you might even start a trend."
Unwillingly, you are reminded of Wizard Chic, and the struggle for years to get proper equipment that it had caused you. It only takes a step or more to apply the same situation to your dream of silken sheets. You shudder. "Gods, I hope not," you say.
You already know it's too late, though, if the hint of interest from the coin at your breast is anything to go by.
