[ this time, the laugh that comes out of him is less surprised, a bit of genuine (if just slightly self-deprecating) warmth to it. they've been here before, with this conversation. ] I would, too.
That's... more or less why I thought I would come by. [ eventually, yin yu admits, a little sheepish. ] I did want to ask about your team, but it wasn't really why. [ he was just too much of a weenie to say so and switched to business mode. ] ...Tell me, how was the rest of your week? It seems you spent a lot of time in the portal, too.
[ a conversation change, but, his hand lingers in hers, for now. if it makes her happy, then, he won't let go. (it makes him happy, too, but yin yu is hard pressed to admit that to himself, let alone to anyone else.) ]
[this is why you wait until someone asks you a question before answering it, flayn! ...but it works out. somehow, she actually feels closer to him, thanks to how all of this turned out.
she smiles, looking down at their joined hands.]
I did a lot of reading in the library in the village, and... Lili took me to try on outfits at the boutique there. It was really nice. [way nicer than the island had been.] ...and you? How did you spend your week?
You weren't wrong. [ with a little smile of his own, he ducks his head. ] I'm not sure we would've made it to this point, otherwise.
[ he... probably would have chickened out, like a coward, is basically what that means. yin yu is very aware of his own limitations and one of them is that he's very rusty on this interacting with people thing and... was never that great at it in the first place.
flayn makes it so easy, though. being around her is relaxing. there's little tension in his shoulders, calm and comfortable as he takes in the comment about the library--and can picture her and lili in that boutique--and hums. ] Much of the same. I visited the shop with Sect Leader Nie, as well, and spent a bit of time in the training hall, as you saw.
[ he also liked the village. it reminded him a lot of home. mm, though! ] I didn't get much of a chance to see the library, though. How was it?
Oh, it was wonderful! So many books, on such a wide variety of topics - I wish I could have taken them all back through the portal with me!
[so much reading material... she spent a lot of the time that she wasn't running around bullying people into dates reading, and it was time well spent, as far as she's concerned. even if she doesn't have a whole lot to show for it now.]
The selection of books in the monastery library is rather lacking - apparently, my brother reviews everything that goes into it himself to prevent anything "inappropriate" from falling into my hands, the overprotective meddler.
[ too cute... it's so bright... like looking into the sun.... except instead of squinting and trying to run from it, it's the kind of warmth you want to bask in....
he can't help but smile back at her enthusiasm, head tilting to the side, amusement registering on his face. ] "Inappropriate"...? [ flayn's brother seems to be quite overprotective indeed. ] I can only assume what that would mean...
At home, I think there would be many literature gods who would be quite offended by that. [ it's a bit of a joke, said lightly, although it's true. there are massively popular literature gods like ling wen who deal in records and godly texts, sure, but the heavens are also full of writers and playwrights, too. ]
Fine literature is part of the six arts of cultivation. It's important, to balance your scholarly learning with a fine appreciation for the arts, as well. [ so... you know, it's fine to censor things that are a bit bawdy, but, flayn should be allowed to read a novel or two.
somewhere seteth shudders in the void. ] Do you have a genre you're the most interested in, Lady Flayn?
Genres of all kinds - but particularly ones that go into how normal people live their lives. The way they interact with each other, the sorts of activities they enjoy...
[she sighs a little wistfully]
And tales of romance, I suppose. Before my brother arranged for me to come to the monastery, I lived in seclusion for quite some time, so... there are many customs that I am not familiar with, and he was always too protective of me to allow me to go into town to familiarize myself with them.
[ seclusion... for such a bubbly person, that must have been quite difficult. he won't pry too much beyond that, though. it's her business. and besides, flayn's taste in books sounds perfectly fine, too... he makes a mental note of that for later, when the trial weekend ends, and sets it aside quietly for now. ]
How long have you been in the monastery? If I recall correctly, you said you were taking classes, is that right? It must be exciting.
[but then she's smiling again! that was, like, a blink-and-you'll-miss it moment of hesitation.]
Yes, it is terribly exciting! Sometimes, our class even leaves the monastery for missions where we help out the knights, or rout bandits. But even when we do not, there are always so many people about the monastery - the knights, the members of the church, other students, and visitors...
[she beams.]
It is such a lively place, with so many different types of people. I love it.
[ hm. yin yu's observant enough to see that, but, he's also not going to pry, not now. if flayn wants to tell him, she will, and he'll be there to listen. any worry on his face fades into a smaller, softer smile, watching her talk delightedly about her home. ]
That sounds wonderful. [ it certainly sounds like the kind of place flayn would love. something full of life and joy. and to have family there, and friends... a kind existence, indeed. for her to return safely to this when its all over again will be imperative. ] It sounds a bit like a sect, in that respect. [ familiar... old, old memories, but familiar. ] Is that where you met Lord Dimitri as well?
...well, I suppose in some ways it is a religious sect...?
[hmm. does it count? there's differences between the central church, the eastern church, and the western church, but they all follow the same teachings at their core. flayn looks thoughtful as she considers that.
...but then her expression falls again at his last question.]
In a manner of speaking. [...] My memories and Dimitri's... they do not quite line up. I am... not certain that we shall be going back to the same version of the monastery, once we leave this place.
[which is a frightening thought, if she's being honest.]
[ oh... some kind of alternate timeline, or something...? it's not completely implausible.... ]
...How interesting. [ what a strange possibility. to think, that there are different versions of different worlds. is there a world where yin yu dianxia is still around, in the west?
...that's a depressing thought. hm. let's shove that down and ignore it. ] ...even so, I'm glad that there's at least a small amount of familiarity for you, at least, Lady Flayn, even if it's a bit odd. Your world seems quite different than mine.
[ but, he likes hearing about it, goes unsaid. it's pretty obvious, though. ]
...I am glad for having had the chance to get to know him better. I joined a different class than his, in my world, so I did not have many opportunities to spend time with him before.
[she wishes that she'd been able to, though. the dimitri she's come to know can't be that different from the dimitri of her own world, can he? given the opportunity, they've proven they can be friends.]
It does... I would like to hear more about your world sometime, though. That is, if you would not mind sharing.
[ there's a moment's pause, as he seems to think, but.
eventually, he turns his head to look at her properly. he sounds a little hesitant, but not scared--more awkward. well, it's not that anyone ever really thinks to ask, and he doesn't want to tell her something boring....
but flayn asked, so, he'll do his best. ] ...What do you want to know?
flayn considers it. there are plenty of questions she could ask - and will ask, if he doesn't seem too uncomfortable with it. but for now, she'll just start with one.]
You said before that Ghost City was full of a wide variety of different types of people... [ghosts. demons. gods.] But what is your favorite place within Ghost City?
[ oh... that's an interesting question. he pauses, for a moment, trying to think--the city unfolds in his mind's eye, red, shining lanterns, the hustle and bustle of ghosts, paradise manor looming in the background. he knows it in and out, every street and corner, every busker, every stall.
...and therefore, it doesn't take him too long to answer. ] There is a stall owned by two elderly spirits in the northwest corner of the city. Most of the food in the Ghost City is... [ .............. ] ....an acquired taste, but, they use ingredients that are common to the Western half of my country, and it's always very good. I helped them with a business issue a long while ago, so, they usually greet me when they see me.
[ it's the little things. sometimes a good meal, and a face that knew him - even if it was just as the xianxianyue officer - was enough. ]
[she wishes she could picture it half as easily. for now, she uses the little she does know of where he comes from to paint a picture of it in her mind's eye - and she can almost picture it. the couple calling out to him, a small, gentle smile on his face as he nods back to them in return...
...no, that isn't quite right, is it? he'd seemed so accustomed to wearing his mask, before; likely, it would be firmly in place.
something about that thought makes her heart hurt, just a little. yin yu is a truly wonderful person - she cannot fathom why it is so difficult for others to really see him.]
The food they make... what does it taste like? Do they talk with you, while you are waiting for it to be ready?
It's... spicy. [ his voice softens, a bit, warm with a nostalgia he rarely displays. for a minute, yin yu's recalling, too, focusing on the familiar warmth of the memory, as if he was still standing in that little stall for a break between his patrols. ] Very much so, but that is what I'm used to, so, I don't mind. It's not the most popular stand in the city, but I see humans around, sometimes.
They always insist I don't have to pay. [ and that gets a huff of a laugh. ] I always do, though. I can't say I stay around very often to chat, and..
[ he trails off, briefly. well... when he does, he usually tends to just fade into the background, anyway. that's fine. he prefers it that way. ] ...they're usually busy with chores, so I try not to bother them too much.
[spicy, huh? something about that makes flayn smile. yin yu won't have to wait long to find out what that is, though, because she speaks--]
Akira told me last week... apparently, in his world, the spicier the food, the more love in the dish.
[it's not exactly what he said - it's definitely not as widespread a sentiment as she seems to think it is - but it's kind of nice to imagine that there may not be so many differences from one world to the next.]
I am sure that they must enjoy what they do. ...and I am even more sure that they must enjoy your company, no matter how busy with chores they might be.
[ yin yu makes a soft noise, a little laugh, and that gentle smile reappears, mixed with a similar fondness. spiciness is love, is that it...? ] If that's the case, then the cuisine from my homeland is full of it.
[ it's true. he can remember, if he thinks back far enough, to gathering around the table with his shidi, with his old teachers, big bowls of steaming hotpot in the wintertime. his sect was utterly polite and didn't always speak during mealtime, but sometimes things were a little more raucous, and the food and conversation would flow. he tended to watch, on those days, fondly over his martial brothers, listening to them tell stories, yizhen sticking as close to his side as possible and swatting the hands of other members of the sect with his chopsticks, and jian yu would scold him and yin yu would ruffle his hair, and--
mm.
those memories are a little more painful than 'love'. in the end, they fell on the other side of that spectrum, didn't they?
it doesn't show much on his face, save for a brief pinch to his brows, but, yin yu returns to his conversation with flayn and sets that memory far to the side. ] Perhaps. [ he doubts his company is really worth enjoying, nowadays.
...well. maybe it is for one person. it seems to be. he doesn't know why, but, yin yu is all the more glad for it. ] At any rate, it's nice to be able to enjoy a meal that's made with the correct parts. [ his mouth twitches. ] You wouldn't want to know some of the things other shopkeepers sell.
[...but will they ever get that chance? It's possible for humans to appear in ghost city, but it isn't just the veil between the living and the dead that separates them - it's the distance between their own worlds. in all likelihood, once they do leave this place, they'll...
thinking of that future hurts, somehow, and flayn pushes it far aside as well, returning to the conversation as yin yu sets aside his memories.
she can't help but look intrigued by what he says, though.]
...I am quite certain that I would like to know, actually! How bad could it possibly be?
[is there food out there, in some world, that's worse than hers?]
It's not very... [ you asked, ] Demons and ghosts don't often eat human food, but rather.... the parts of other humans. One of the most popular butchers is a pig demon.
[ SIGHS ] That's what I meant by 'unbelievable'. There are only a few places that cater directly to human beings, instead of to demons and ghosts, and those are the only ones that I frequent. More often than not, I just eat at Paradise Manor and cook for myself.
[ see he didnt want to tell her something gross or weird or boring!!! flayn!!! yin yu ducks his head and looks away, feeling awkward and now extremely self-conscious of the weird place he spends all of his time. ] ....sorry. We don't have to talk about something like that.
well, at least the food would definitely be worse than hers. she's just not going to think too much about the whole eating humans thing. it's not like yin yu has ever eaten humans! see, he's even gone on to say that he normally just cooks food at home.]
No, it is all right - I did ask, after all... [...] What is Paradise Manor like?
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fishingforcompliments) wrote2020-06-06 12:53 pm
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That's... more or less why I thought I would come by. [ eventually, yin yu admits, a little sheepish. ] I did want to ask about your team, but it wasn't really why. [ he was just too much of a weenie to say so and switched to business mode. ] ...Tell me, how was the rest of your week? It seems you spent a lot of time in the portal, too.
[ a conversation change, but, his hand lingers in hers, for now. if it makes her happy, then, he won't let go. (it makes him happy, too, but yin yu is hard pressed to admit that to himself, let alone to anyone else.) ]
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[this is why you wait until someone asks you a question before answering it, flayn! ...but it works out. somehow, she actually feels closer to him, thanks to how all of this turned out.
she smiles, looking down at their joined hands.]
I did a lot of reading in the library in the village, and... Lili took me to try on outfits at the boutique there. It was really nice. [way nicer than the island had been.] ...and you? How did you spend your week?
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[ he... probably would have chickened out, like a coward, is basically what that means. yin yu is very aware of his own limitations and one of them is that he's very rusty on this interacting with people thing and... was never that great at it in the first place.
flayn makes it so easy, though. being around her is relaxing. there's little tension in his shoulders, calm and comfortable as he takes in the comment about the library--and can picture her and lili in that boutique--and hums. ] Much of the same. I visited the shop with Sect Leader Nie, as well, and spent a bit of time in the training hall, as you saw.
[ he also liked the village. it reminded him a lot of home. mm, though! ] I didn't get much of a chance to see the library, though. How was it?
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Oh, it was wonderful! So many books, on such a wide variety of topics - I wish I could have taken them all back through the portal with me!
[so much reading material... she spent a lot of the time that she wasn't running around bullying people into dates reading, and it was time well spent, as far as she's concerned. even if she doesn't have a whole lot to show for it now.]
The selection of books in the monastery library is rather lacking - apparently, my brother reviews everything that goes into it himself to prevent anything "inappropriate" from falling into my hands, the overprotective meddler.
[huffs.]
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he can't help but smile back at her enthusiasm, head tilting to the side, amusement registering on his face. ] "Inappropriate"...? [ flayn's brother seems to be quite overprotective indeed. ] I can only assume what that would mean...
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[let her read novels... please.......]
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At home, I think there would be many literature gods who would be quite offended by that. [ it's a bit of a joke, said lightly, although it's true. there are massively popular literature gods like ling wen who deal in records and godly texts, sure, but the heavens are also full of writers and playwrights, too. ]
Fine literature is part of the six arts of cultivation. It's important, to balance your scholarly learning with a fine appreciation for the arts, as well. [ so... you know, it's fine to censor things that are a bit bawdy, but, flayn should be allowed to read a novel or two.
somewhere seteth shudders in the void. ] Do you have a genre you're the most interested in, Lady Flayn?
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[she sighs a little wistfully]
And tales of romance, I suppose. Before my brother arranged for me to come to the monastery, I lived in seclusion for quite some time, so... there are many customs that I am not familiar with, and he was always too protective of me to allow me to go into town to familiarize myself with them.
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How long have you been in the monastery? If I recall correctly, you said you were taking classes, is that right? It must be exciting.
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[her voice trails off, though.]
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Yes, it is terribly exciting! Sometimes, our class even leaves the monastery for missions where we help out the knights, or rout bandits. But even when we do not, there are always so many people about the monastery - the knights, the members of the church, other students, and visitors...
[she beams.]
It is such a lively place, with so many different types of people. I love it.
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That sounds wonderful. [ it certainly sounds like the kind of place flayn would love. something full of life and joy. and to have family there, and friends... a kind existence, indeed. for her to return safely to this when its all over again will be imperative. ] It sounds a bit like a sect, in that respect. [ familiar... old, old memories, but familiar. ] Is that where you met Lord Dimitri as well?
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[hmm. does it count? there's differences between the central church, the eastern church, and the western church, but they all follow the same teachings at their core. flayn looks thoughtful as she considers that.
...but then her expression falls again at his last question.]
In a manner of speaking. [...] My memories and Dimitri's... they do not quite line up. I am... not certain that we shall be going back to the same version of the monastery, once we leave this place.
[which is a frightening thought, if she's being honest.]
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...How interesting. [ what a strange possibility. to think, that there are different versions of different worlds. is there a world where yin yu dianxia is still around, in the west?
...that's a depressing thought. hm. let's shove that down and ignore it. ] ...even so, I'm glad that there's at least a small amount of familiarity for you, at least, Lady Flayn, even if it's a bit odd. Your world seems quite different than mine.
[ but, he likes hearing about it, goes unsaid. it's pretty obvious, though. ]
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[she wishes that she'd been able to, though. the dimitri she's come to know can't be that different from the dimitri of her own world, can he? given the opportunity, they've proven they can be friends.]
It does... I would like to hear more about your world sometime, though. That is, if you would not mind sharing.
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eventually, he turns his head to look at her properly. he sounds a little hesitant, but not scared--more awkward. well, it's not that anyone ever really thinks to ask, and he doesn't want to tell her something boring....
but flayn asked, so, he'll do his best. ] ...What do you want to know?
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flayn considers it. there are plenty of questions she could ask - and will ask, if he doesn't seem too uncomfortable with it. but for now, she'll just start with one.]
You said before that Ghost City was full of a wide variety of different types of people... [ghosts. demons. gods.] But what is your favorite place within Ghost City?
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...and therefore, it doesn't take him too long to answer. ] There is a stall owned by two elderly spirits in the northwest corner of the city. Most of the food in the Ghost City is... [ .............. ] ....an acquired taste, but, they use ingredients that are common to the Western half of my country, and it's always very good. I helped them with a business issue a long while ago, so, they usually greet me when they see me.
[ it's the little things. sometimes a good meal, and a face that knew him - even if it was just as the xianxianyue officer - was enough. ]
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...no, that isn't quite right, is it? he'd seemed so accustomed to wearing his mask, before; likely, it would be firmly in place.
something about that thought makes her heart hurt, just a little. yin yu is a truly wonderful person - she cannot fathom why it is so difficult for others to really see him.]
The food they make... what does it taste like? Do they talk with you, while you are waiting for it to be ready?
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They always insist I don't have to pay. [ and that gets a huff of a laugh. ] I always do, though. I can't say I stay around very often to chat, and..
[ he trails off, briefly. well... when he does, he usually tends to just fade into the background, anyway. that's fine. he prefers it that way. ] ...they're usually busy with chores, so I try not to bother them too much.
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Akira told me last week... apparently, in his world, the spicier the food, the more love in the dish.
[it's not exactly what he said - it's definitely not as widespread a sentiment as she seems to think it is - but it's kind of nice to imagine that there may not be so many differences from one world to the next.]
I am sure that they must enjoy what they do. ...and I am even more sure that they must enjoy your company, no matter how busy with chores they might be.
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[ it's true. he can remember, if he thinks back far enough, to gathering around the table with his shidi, with his old teachers, big bowls of steaming hotpot in the wintertime. his sect was utterly polite and didn't always speak during mealtime, but sometimes things were a little more raucous, and the food and conversation would flow. he tended to watch, on those days, fondly over his martial brothers, listening to them tell stories, yizhen sticking as close to his side as possible and swatting the hands of other members of the sect with his chopsticks, and jian yu would scold him and yin yu would ruffle his hair, and--
mm.
those memories are a little more painful than 'love'. in the end, they fell on the other side of that spectrum, didn't they?
it doesn't show much on his face, save for a brief pinch to his brows, but, yin yu returns to his conversation with flayn and sets that memory far to the side. ] Perhaps. [ he doubts his company is really worth enjoying, nowadays.
...well. maybe it is for one person. it seems to be. he doesn't know why, but, yin yu is all the more glad for it. ] At any rate, it's nice to be able to enjoy a meal that's made with the correct parts. [ his mouth twitches. ] You wouldn't want to know some of the things other shopkeepers sell.
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[...but will they ever get that chance? It's possible for humans to appear in ghost city, but it isn't just the veil between the living and the dead that separates them - it's the distance between their own worlds. in all likelihood, once they do leave this place, they'll...
thinking of that future hurts, somehow, and flayn pushes it far aside as well, returning to the conversation as yin yu sets aside his memories.
she can't help but look intrigued by what he says, though.]
...I am quite certain that I would like to know, actually! How bad could it possibly be?
[is there food out there, in some world, that's worse than hers?]
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It's not very... [ you asked, ] Demons and ghosts don't often eat human food, but rather.... the parts of other humans. One of the most popular butchers is a pig demon.
[ SIGHS ] That's what I meant by 'unbelievable'. There are only a few places that cater directly to human beings, instead of to demons and ghosts, and those are the only ones that I frequent. More often than not, I just eat at Paradise Manor and cook for myself.
[ see he didnt want to tell her something gross or weird or boring!!! flayn!!! yin yu ducks his head and looks away, feeling awkward and now extremely self-conscious of the weird place he spends all of his time. ] ....sorry. We don't have to talk about something like that.
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[oh!
well, at least the food would definitely be worse than hers. she's just not going to think too much about the whole eating humans thing. it's not like yin yu has ever eaten humans! see, he's even gone on to say that he normally just cooks food at home.]
No, it is all right - I did ask, after all... [...] What is Paradise Manor like?
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finally emerges from memshare starter writing hell
grips your shoulder BE STRONG SISI
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desperation 2 electric boogaloo
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