hugtopia | How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,

Entry tags:

How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,

[He normally would try to lay low in a given world. Faust, too, has suggested he's should. Brining attention onto himself is a bad, bad, very bad idea.

But he can't help it. There's working internet. And he has the power of typing and bad ideas on his side.]

Hey new world! I'm Teo! Just got here. I'm from Earth, but from my last world, I learned that's pretty common, and every Earth seems to be different from the others. Who's from somewhere new and who here's from Earth? And for those from Earth, what's the thing that makes it different?

Alternate introduction question: What's everyone's favorite thing to do here?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He jolts, sits up, and raises his hands.]

No one...! [He coughs.] But... if they come... looking for me... I wouldn't want... anyone to... bother you...

That's not what I meant either... I wasn't talking about me. I'm telling you to be cautious for your sake. It would be troublesome if that happened, yes, but my life wouldn't be in danger.

[Why does he even have to lay this out, he'd rather not...]

I'd feel...bad about it...

[He huffs.]

You'd have bigger problems to worry about if it came to that. Which, with luck and caution, it won't.

[Another sigh.] Though it might be prudent to have a contingency plan, should you be discovered...

[He hums unhappily knowing it's true. He hopes it won't too.]

... Over...the walls...? That was... my plan if... the replicator... didn't work...

[Alone in a hostile wild, hoping to find food and wishing he could go back. A grim voice in his head adds that it's that or a bullet in the head. It's always those two choices.

He sighs and rolls until he's face down on the couch.]

That does seem to be the only place we could go to escape the reach of the natives, or anyone else... I haven't tried flying here yet, but I don't know if there's anything in place to prevent simply flying over the walls...

[Something worth testing out, maybe. Just in case.]

[He's quiet and still for a moment before pushing himself up.]

There are walls... they want to... keep things out... we should... find out what...

[He frowns seriously.]

You wouldn't... have to come with me... You may be... safer here...

Mm, it might be good to ask around about that...

[He raises his brows at him.]

You would prefer I abandon you to whatever fate waits beyond those walls? If you could even make it past them on your own.

[His dead eyes dart to the side. Part of him wants to say that question ain't fair.]

No... [No. The thought of going out alone is terrifying.] but I... don't want you... to get hurt... either...

Your concern is noted. There is no guarantee the safety of this place isn't an illusion. Besides, now that my magic is more or less restored, you would likely be in more danger than I would.

[He reaches up to lightly tug on the brim of his hat, looking elsewhere.]

There is nothing tying me to this city. If accompanying you would give you a better chance of living a little longer, I see no reason not to.

[That causes him to slip a rueful breath of a laugh. Small blessings, he guesses.

But any amusement, bitter or otherwise, falls away. He stares at Faust, his friend, with a look of sadness. Even if it meant you'd died out there? He wonders, but doesn't ask.]

You shouldn't... have to... [But Faust isn't offering because he has to. He wants to. That both warms his heart and breaks it.] But thank you...

Edited 2022-01-24 01:02 (UTC)

[He looks back at him in time to see that look, as well as read the general feeling behind it.]

I don't intend to follow you out there to turn to stone.

[Not that his death would be of too much consequence, but he knows Teo doesn't want to hear that.]

But ideally, it won't come to that in the first place. This is... a unique opportunity, for you to live amongst other people again.

[It does reassure him, enough to bring out a small smile. To lose Faust or anyone out there would be the one thing worse than going out there alone. Despite his worries, he has faith both in Faust's abilities and his wit.]

It is... [That gets him smiling a little bit more.] Not too close... but still... close enough...

And what will... you do...?

[A good opportunity for Teo, just more inconveniences and getting asked to save the world for him... but what else is new.]

Learning more about this world would be a good start...

[He glances toward the kitchen where the replicator is.]

There's no sheep to tend to or homes to repair, and you have all you need to keep your hunger at bay. There isn't much for me to do beyond keep to myself.

[There is also, of course, providing this world's gods the contact they seem to need... but the thought of going out and seeking ways to do that is hardly appealing.]

[He nods. That is indeed something they'll have to do. What follows though makes him pause. His head tilts.]

Not... just that I hope...? [He smiles faintly.] Still want to... see you sometimes...

Could take... a vacation... You know... I saw a... cat cafe...

...I'll be staying here, so you'll see me on occasion regardless.

[He knows that's not what he means, but that doesn't mean he has to acknowledge it. Anything else he might say is interrupted by the last thing Teo says, and he blinks at him, his interest clearly piqued.]

A cat... cafe?

[He hums, because that's true, but also not what he means. He's likewise sure that Faust knows what he actually means. Whether he'll see Faust more or not is still up for debate, but that interest is real and here. He tries not to smile too wide.]

Do you... have those... in your world...? It's a cafe, but... full of cats... and they let you... pet the cats... while you're there.

This one's called... affurgato...

...If there are, I haven't heard of them.

[He doesn't get out much. But a cafe full of cats... affurgato...]

...I wouldn't call this a vacation, but it's unlikely I'll be very busy here. So it shouldn't be a problem to see what it's like, sometime.

[Not because he wants to pet cats or anything.]

[He grins from ear to ear, almost making the tear look less gruesome.]

I'll... show you then... Just gonna... see how the cats... react to me... and if they... still don't like me... I'll just... lead you there...

[It'll be less fun, but Faust will appreciate it whether he's there or not.]

[Right, that could be a concern... he's not sure there's much he could do to prevent that, either...]

...If they don't react well, I'm sure there are more traditional cafes as well, like the one in your dream.

[Maybe not exactly like that what with the way this world is, but... if there's a cat cafe, surely there's also ones without cats.]

Yes... but... we've still... got to visit... the cats... I'd just... sit outside...

[He can't drink things publicly anyway unless Faust uses magic, so it's really just for the sake of hanging out and spending time.

Though that reminds him. His face goes wistful.]

... I guess... there will be... no more dreams... like that, huh?

...I could always go some other time on my own. [...wait-] Not that I would need to revisit that place.

[Anyway... hm.]

...Doubtful. At least, not in the way they appeared to us in that world... the magic of this world is different.

[He does his best to hide a laugh. He's less successful in hiding his smile. As if he doesn't know Faust likes animals by now. The man is ridiculous sometimes.

That final decisive comment leads him to sigh.]

Yeah... Should've expected... I'd never get... another chance...

[He wishes he'd done things differently. But he was sure he'd have more time. What a human mistake.]

Probably... no more magic... for me either... Easy come... easy go...

[Nothing to see here!!]

[He watches him for a moment.]

...Actually, that may not be the case. For your magic, at least.

[He blinks and lifts his gaze back up to Faust.]

What do you... mean...? You sense... something...?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject