[closed] October catch-all

[turmoiling]

Who: Jin Guangyao and various
When: Throughout Octeuril (and possibly backdated Septeril)
Where: Aefenglom
What: Catch-all log for various things
Warnings: None yet.


[Individual threads in comments. If you want to plot something feel free to DM/hit me up on plurk at nanomachinesson!]

Comments

[turmoiling]

Xichen, you threaten to stretch our friends' imaginations so hard they might break, to imagine someone like yourself in such a state.

[Jin Guangyao replies with amusement of his own. Lan Xichen was so handsome and refined of character, clearly, who could think of even making the comparison to a dog of any sort.

The self-deprecating way of putting it does helps cover the difficult circumstances of war that led to their meeting, though.]

I was honoured to host him at my home during a troubled time many years ago, and our acquaintance only grew from there.

[He explains, as much of an explanation as that is.]

Ah, the issue of customs is a curious one. Xichen brings up a good question. Of course things are different here, but between two planets of another place, is it so different?

[quintessent]

Yes.

[Allura says quickly, then flushes, wondering if maybe she spoke too quickly.]

Rather, I have never been to Earth, and no human has visited Altea.

[Of that she was certain, considering humans were still figuring out how to create tools from iron when the Altean kingdom fell. But this isn't the time nor place for that kind of talk.]

But there was quite a learning curve for both of us. Why, we don't even share the same measures of time.

[marmoron]

[ Keith watches the knowing look the two of them exchange, setting the menu back down on the table. Scooting a bit further back on his chair, his posture relaxes a little. As brief as the explanation may have been, elements of it remind him vaguely of how Shiro had taken him in which immediately casts their relationship into a familiar light. Or so it would seem for now, anyway. ]

Yeah, it took a bit of getting used to. There were a lot of random things that apparently really took off on Altea that weren't that big on Earth. Like indoor ziplines and sporks.

[ Did the Alteans just have some enormous retro phase? Who knows.... Keith certainly doesn't know. He shoots Allura a brief look as if to say care to explain?<.i> then turns his attention to the two seated across from him. ]

Still. Guess the fact that there were still some similarities goes to show we're not all that different.

I'm sorry this tag is dumb

[quintessent]

What do you mean- sporks? Oh. You mean our Foons.

[It takes her a few moments to remember the word the humans kept using for her far superior eating utensil. She holds up one of the restaurants provided forks, gesturing to it with her free hand like it's something out of the ordinary.]

I still don't understand why you would not just combine them into one utensil...

[zewu_jun]

Ah, what is that?

[They seem to be referring to the same thing, but he has no idea what either of those words are. They don't sound familiar at all.]

Foons? Ziplines? Are these tools of your world?

[And if Keith is, by this context, a human, then are they things that other people use all the time? From Lan Xichen's perspective, the two of them seem to be discussing some esoteric and mysterious practices, but the tone is so casual that it couldn't be that.]

Are they as grand as your flying ships?

[quintessent]

[Ah. She suddenly feels on the spot. Obviously she's the most alien one here, so it makes sense, but still she feels a spotlight on her.]

Oh, they're not so grand. The castleship is a feat of modern Altean engineering. A foon is just something you use to eat with. Like a-

[She gestures to the utensil in her hand, then, looking over to Keith,]

What is this one called again? The pointy one.

[marmoron]

[ Keith struggles to keep a straight face when Allura corrects him on "spork," looking as though he might be biting the inside of his lip while Lan asks his questions. ]

That's -- [ He clears his throat. ] A fork. Sporks are what you get when you stick fork tines onto the end of a spoon so you can eat soup and stab your food with one utensil. ] A beat. ] Except if you're Altean, I guess.

[ Allura gets the tiniest nudge with his elbow. ]

Ziplines are long stretches of cable that have handles that you can grab onto and slide down the cable from. People used to do that for fun back in the day, but they're pretty old fashioned by now.

[turmoiling]

[Jin Guangyao seems just as mystified as his friend, glancing back at Lan Xichen for a moment in search of any understanding of these strange things that he himself might have missed.

But the important thing is they're all having a pleasant time.]

Is it to entertain those who cannot fly, then?

[When the server comes by he points out a light meat and vegetable dish for himself after a casual glance at the menu.]

Even if the utensils are odd, hopefully the food is less so.

[quintessent]

Or you could just use a foon and complete the same takes with one tool.

[She nudges Keith back with her elbow, smile edging on just a little bit silly. Then, remembering herself when the waiter comes, she clears her throat, sitting up taller. Blushing slightly when she realized she hasn't picked out a meal yet, she points to something with an attractive picture on the menu. How did she end up not being the most polite and refined person at this table? She must be getting used to dining with the humans.]

It is to help get from one place to another. My castle is very large and if the paladins had to run to their lions, the war would already by over by the time they arrived.

[zewu_jun]

[Xichen has no idea what to make of the whole utensil discussion. It sounds very mysterious and out of his depth. And if other planets are concerned, he has even less of a chance of understanding such debates on what is better for efficiency. However, there is something that he picks up from Keith and Allura's interactions. His eyes go to Jin Guangyao's, head inclining slightly as he glances back briefly to the pair and back to his friend again. True, that could just be some playful nudging on their part, but he's wondering if the couples discount isn't entirely off.

He orders a salad. It seems... right? Anyway, who needs food when there are other matters to distract him with.]

Then, do you think you two could show us sometime? I would like to see these ziplines myself. There must be many things like this the two of you have shared together. They sound wonderful.

[marmoron]

[ It's probably a blessing in disguise that Keith misses that look that Lan and Jin exchange because he's momentarily busy ordering a pasta dish. Since completing his transformation, he no longer has to eat normal food, but it still tastes good even if it isn't nourishing. After emphasizing an allergy to garlic, he turns back to the conversation at hand. ]

I wonder what it'd take to set up a zipline here....

[ He looks thoughtful about that. Probably wouldn't be that hard with magic involved. If nothing else, a zipline from the roof to the pool absolutely sounds like something Lance would have insisted on if he'd been anywhere in earshot of this conversation. ]

What do the two of you do for fun back home?