citylogs | [closed]

Sumeru?

... Wait, does that mean you know Alhaitham and Kaveh?

[ As she sits down.

As it also occurs to her that Sumeru might also be Really Big because she sure doesn't know everyone in Japan, or even in Kamihama-- ]

[ Now that's a question he isn't expecting, because he doesn't see Alhaitham or Kaveh as the types to keep a teenage girl as company. Then again, this city is strange, and circumstances could have forced them to associate with those they normally wouldn't. ]

How could I not? One is the former Acting Grand Sage of the Akademiya and the other is the Light of Kshahrewar. They're quite famous.

[ It doesn't answer if he knows them personally, but she didn't specify. ]

The Light of... what does that even mean?

[ It's genuine curiosity. Also rude, how come she never got a cool title like that? She's going to have to grill Kaveh about this, as though any of that is his responsibility. ]

[ Huh. Had they not explained anything about Sumeru to this girl? Perhaps they weren't that close then. Either way, there's no harm talking about his own world, and especially not of the Akademiya. ]

Kshahrewar is one of the Darshans of the Akademiya, an educational institution in Sumeru. It's the branch that focuses on technology. He's called that because he's a once-in-a-lifetime architectural genius. A shining beacon of the Darshan, if you will.

... Of course he'd talk more about Al than himself... [ a sigh. ]

Did you also go to the Akademiya, or are they just that famous that you've heard of them?

[ Al? Interesting. It's getting harder to determine exactly how close this girl is to the two. ]

I think it'd be more difficult not to know them, especially since one of them helped overthrow the corrupt elements of the Akademiya and then temporarily assumed the highest seat of the institution while things were being sorted out.

[ Part of him wonders if he should be telling her anything, but well, they never told him not to say anything. And enough people have told him that people like sharing information freely for him to assume it wouldn't be a safety hazard to share more. ]

Yeah, I heard about that... but I also think there's a difference between knowing who they are and knowing them personally! You know?

[ Is he a friend or is he just someone who knows the broad picture? ]

[ Such a curious, nosy girl. He crosses his arms, leveling her with a frown. ]

Did you come here to interrogate me about my relationships or to taste my cooking?

Both!

Actually, I didn't come here to interrogate you at all, I just didn't think I'd meet someone else from Sumeru.

[ She is unfazed. ]

[ She reminds him of a certain faerie girl... ]

Just as I didn't expect to see them here. Makes you wonder if our kidnappers have a preference for Sumerans.

Maybe they think they're good test subjects? I've run into a few people from my own country too, but no one I've met before here.

[ Mysterious. ]

Anyway, is there an order I should be trying these out in?

Without taking a census, it might be hard to determine if there's a pattern in who they kidnap.

[ They should take a census though, shouldn't they? Demographics were often factored into a good study. But he would have to work the idea over more before acting on it.

At the question, he shrugs. ]

If you're not a fan of sweets, maybe you shouldn't leave them all to last. Otherwise, do as you please.

I like 'em! So let's go for the omurice first!

[ Well, she probably doesn't have to tell him, but you know. She's an honest girl. ]

[ He gestures at the omurice. Well, go on. ]

[ She takes a healthy spoonful, popping it into her mouth.

And brightening swiftly, though she's at least mindful enough to chew and swallow before she speaks-- ]

It's so fluffy!

[ His expression softens a little. She likes it. Good. There's a bit of pride that he feels in that. ]

You said you could tell everything about a person from the way they make omurice. Well?

[ A pause to take another bite and consider it. ]

... You're really meticulous and observant, probably really good focus. It feels like you'd rather know it's perfect than get creative.

[ He hums in assent. She's mostly right. That he'd rather it perfect than get creative... in other words, she also means he's rigid and not very flexible. When it comes to food, he can't really deny that. Once he figures out his preference, he takes time to perfect it, and then hardly changes his recipe after. What can he say? He knows what he wants.

(Perhaps it was something he learned back when he was taught to forge swords.) ]

You're quite observant yourself. So, do I get passing marks?

Yep, you do! I didn't think you were worried about it.

[ There's confidence here, and she hums happily as she takes another bite. ]

[ He scoffs. He's never been worried about his cooking being appealing to others. What he cooks has always been made to appeal to himself. After all, he has no other reason to cook.

(Well, maybe he had one now, back in Sumeru. The Dendro Archon was rather fond of asking him to cook for her from time to time.) ]

I wasn't, but you're here to taste-test. What's the point if you don't rate it?

Bonding!

[ Obviously. ]

But I'll rate things too, I promise.

[ His expression scrunches at the response, and he looks away. ]

Aren't you being a little too presumptuous? I never said I wanted to bond with you.

[ But his words lack bite. ]

Just rate them already.

You never said you didn't, either.

[ As she goes for the pita pocket now with another happy hum once she takes a healthy bite of it.

... He's going to quickly learn she is delighted by all of this food she gets to try. ]

And if I said I didn't want to? What would you do then?

[ She looks pleased with the food though, which fills him with a sense of satisfaction. So even if his words are somewhat unfriendly, they aren't actually hostile. ]

Out-stubborn you until you gave in.

[ Promptly. ]

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