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

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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?

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[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...?

I do. It wasn't clear before, perhaps because of the nature of that world... but there's still magic about you.

[He looks at his hands, staring at them, then bringing one up to press against his chest as if he could feel the magic there any better than he can feel a pulse that doesn't exist. He still has magic. He could still be useful, maybe, and he might have those dreams, if just not the same...

He's quiet for a long moment before looking up.]

Is that... okay...? Even though... I'm human... ish...?

[He gives him a moment to process that, though he's relatively sure that Teo can't tell the difference himself. Whatever magic remains with him, it may not be as flexible as his own... but they didn't get the chance to determine what else he might be able to do...]

[His question makes him blink, confused for a moment.]

...What are you saying, as if you need to ask permission? There is magic within you- that is simply a fact.

[Even if that's not something humans should normally have access to... but obviously the same rules don't apply in every world.]

[It is a fact, so for that he gives a slow nod, but he still has to press.]

It's not... permission exactly... I know you... hate humans... They treated you... badly... for your magic... Now I just... have some... Might feel... unfair... or... worse... Don't want to... flaunt something... that causes you pain...

[He hopes that makes more sense.]

...

[He sighs, long and weary.]

Humans who want magic for themselves have selfish reasons for it... they want to take only what benefits themselves. The only magic I've seen you use was to guide a long lost soul on its way. If that's the sort of magic you use, I have no qualms with it.

...Besides, you're... from another world without magic, like the Sage. I'm more willing to trust your judgment than a human from my own world.

[Not that Teo always makes the best judgment calls in his book, but he also doesn't think he'll take that trust lightly.]

[It's a new distinction, not one he's heard before. Humans from Faust's world and from other worlds, a bad and a good, or at least, better. He doesn't know if he's really unselfish. He wants that dream world back, being free to be who he was. And--]

It is nice... to feel less... useless...

[His fingers close over his palms. He does want to try. He wants to be something better than he is.]

Thank you... for trusting me...

[It's a distinction he's using more as an excuse that anything. He's not going to assume humans from other worlds can't be just as careless and cruel... but maybe they're at least more willing to make the effort to be understanding, without having ever experienced the conflict between humans and wizards.]

If you want to thank me, then you can do so by making sure I never have to regret it.

...And you've hardly been useless. Even if you were limited due to hiding yourself, you were always offering your assistance with restoring the islands.

[As for this place, he's going to have similar problems. But he can still help, if that's what he wants.]

Having magic doesn't make you more or less useful... it comes down to how you use it, the same as you would use your own hands and strength.

I'll never... be able to... prove that until... I'm fully dead...

[He says that with a huff and wry tone that's partially ruined by his rasping. He's going to thank Faust regardless and Faust knows it.

The rest renders him quieter. Part of him wants to insist that it's not enough, but he's also touched that Faust would think otherwise. It's the final comment that outright throws him. He looks up, blinking.]

You... really think that...? I would've... I would've thought...

[He trails off.]

[He doesn't bother responding to that. But he raises a brow at his question.]

Would have thought what? Spit it out.

[His head bows.]

Sorry... it was... a stupid thing... [He frowns, more at himself than anything.]

It's just... magic is... important to you... and... with how you feel... of humans... the difference that... having magic makes... [He rubs at his bittnen arm.]

I mean, it's not just... you... I thought it myself... that... what you and... everyone else could do... You were better... You could do more... So to hear... you say that... that having magic... doesn't really matter... I didn't expect it...

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