Dunno about that... With the whole color-coordinated jacket the shortie threw at us for some reason, I feel like I'm pretty well-equipped to look like a wizard.
[Now, whether he feels like a wizard or even feels like being a wizard in this type of environment is another thing altogether. Cid is good at going with the flow, and he's even got a wizard allowance out of it, so he's inclined to overlook some things. Still, he's not so sure about this.
For the moment, though, tagging along with his shopping companion is paramount -- it's not a bad thing to see more of this world, if only so that he can reconnoiter a bit better and also, like, unfuck his magic. Probably.]
I wouldn't mind more loungewear, though. [is he planning on just being a layabout, maybe] I guess I was thinking something more Midgar-like. There's d-- stuff called department stores now where they sell just about anything, and it's all high-class...
I come from a world with computers, I know what a department store is. Though I'm not sure I'd call them all high-class, depends on the floor. [ he should. probably explain what he means by floor but he will not. ]
You're one of the first people I've met who's heard of that kind of stuff though. A lot of the other "wizards" here seem used to the complete lack of technology, if not electricity too.
[Why's he so smug about this.......... you didn't invent the department store, Kuhn. Neither did Cid, technically, but anyway. He scratches his head and tries to decide what expression to have on his face. Settles for 'politely befuddled' with a side of 'slightly pouty'.]
They're pretty high-class where I come from? Maybe that's 'cause they're all-new and cater mostly to the aristocracy, though... And I guess none of them sell, uh, computers.
[Nailed it. When was the last time he touched a keyboard. Damn, it's like discovering the ruins of a lost civilization within his own brain.]
Maybe it's the balance between magic and technology -- there's been more development when it comes to fusing them where I come from, but a lot of it is recent. Most people are still way more into magic and that's what most of us end up learning.
[ maybe his family did, wow. please hold for when i complete my read of tower of god at 400+ chapters. ]
It's the same with Shinsu, that's basically "magic" where I come from. You always have a group of people that reject the norm and rough it, though. I know there's at least one guy who insists on using radios for communication instead...
[ shaking his head. truly he has been whisked away to a world full of ye oldes, tragic. ]
No steam either, huh? [ he'll believe it when he sees it, or rather doesn't see it? but he goes along with for now because yeah he hasn't seen any steam powered tech either. ]
Even that's pretty barbaric nowadays, but you can at least make steam with water and heat. And they have fire, at least. We could just introduce it to them...
[ that might be the sound of Capitalism whirring in his brain. ]
[Hi5 in being stuck in ongoing canons that we haven't finished reading. In Cid's case, though..... Well.]
"Shinsu"... [he turns it over in his mouth with a sort of fascination that is 100% real, actually] Some sort of supernatural ability that can also be used with tech, right? Seems like there's a lot of people here who reject magic, too. That's not much of a thing where I come from, probably because of the kingdom's support.
[Or maybe it's just because magic is convenient?? He never actually thought that much about it, but he just sort of assumes a lot of people go with what the king(s) says. Politics, blahblah.]
What, steam is barbaric to you? I get the feeling that you would shock some of the people here to death with that big a leap, you know.
[It's not really too strong a discouragement. It's not like he's got room to talk, in either the capitalism or technology aspects. But look. None of that is really his fault.]
Well Shinsu is more technically energy, but close enough.
[ magic is energy too right? right. like you can do insane things in the Tower but some rules can't be broken, or rather, they can only be broken in a certain way. with a notable exception, but khun's not keen on thinking about baam at the moment. ]
I think they could handle it. And if they can't, they just need to get stronger, or—get shocked to death? [ a light chuckle, clearly this is a joke. or is it? ]
But speaking of steam, that's one of the things I want to get: a hair straightener. Some shampoo, conditioner, oils...
Guess so. Magic can be a type of energy, I think they were saying something about the mana stones here being able to power things, so maybe it's like your thing.
[He's still not entirely sure how mana stones work, but it's something worth looking into. What he doesn't say is that magic is just a type of energy that isn't widely understood or perfectly harnessed; but maybe that's being a bit arrogant too, all things considered.
There's a small pfft because is it really a joke if it's entirely within the realm of possibility. This guy seems like he'd joke his way right into it, somehow. That's what happens when you've got main character aura and hair.]
Have you even met any of 'em? It's a little premature to start turning their worldview upside down. What if they brand you a heretic wizard and run you out of town? [his light tone says that he's totally joking, and definitely not that he kind of wants to see a witch hunt one of these days] ... Keeping up on grooming in a different world's gotta be tough, huh.
[He's always either been in normie mode or just slapped magic on things, so he really hasn't thought about it until now.]
Don't worry, I'm not the type to rush into things.
[ this is actually the truth even if he can be terribly impulsive at the worst of times, but we share strengths not weaknesses. ]
It'll be a challenge, but not one I can't conquer. [ khun this is about beauty not a tournament. he meanders over to one of the stalls that looks like it sells general aromatherapy and bath supplies. ]
You're not going to just settle for looking like you rolled out of bed every morning, right?
Hmmm, I guess you don't really look like that type.
[Even if he is getting the inkling that the fellow's a bit more chaotic than his prim exterior makes him look. But also Cid's standard for 'rushing into things' is just anything short of Leeroy Jenkins so maybe his judgment is a bit off on this one. Delta's fault.
Honestly Cid is not sure whether the challenge is now beauty or knocking the laymen's socks off or knocking out fellow wizards with beauty but he's. Fine with this? He'll see where this goes... Running a careless eye over the bath supplies, they seem a bit more specialized than the ones at the manor or that you'd find in a hot springs inn or something.]
But, uh, I'm sure it'll be an interesting challenge? Of some kind? [almost like a reflex he reaches up and smooths down his slightly flippy hair] And I may not look like it, but I'm a man who's fonder of baths than just about any other man I know. I just tend to spend most of my days training at school.
[Not...... entirely correct, but it's totally his way of defending the fact that looking like you rolled out of bed takes!! Time and skill!! Coordination!!! And just the right amount of laissez-faire.]
[What kind of bluff is this. Is it even one he was making. What is being called!!!!!! Khun please!!! Cid blink-blinks a couple of times and looks between him and the bath supplies a bit blankly.
Well. He's not the soap and water type, but this is a bit over-the-top for him. Still, perhaps he can hit Khun with the ol' one-two of somebody who grew up with way too many girls. Not all of them are bathing aficionados either, but there's strength in numbers...!
He taps a couple of bottles. Shampoo and conditioner (easy), cleanser and bath scrub (intermediate, but he's spent enough time with glamorous people, surely...!), hair oil (he is pretty sure Delta uses this on her tail or is forced by Alpha to groom with it but that's neither here nor there).]
I wouldn't say I use all of this? But some of it comes recommended by acquaintances and stuff. Uhh... This one's not too bad as far as scents go, I think. [it's sandalwood and and whatever passes for orange here] Mostly I know the stuff that gets used in bigger communal baths, y'know.
[Floral scents tend to be the majority in a place like Shadow Garden, obviously, but classic Japanese fruit and woodsy scents are pretty nice even if harder to find. That said, he really has no idea how everyone's superhuman senses deal with too much fragrance, so it's a bit of a tossup.]
Don't worry, I do. [ use all of these things. he picks up the hair oil and inspects it like he's giving it a job interview, which he probably is. suitable for all hair types isn't exactly his standard, but he knows they won't have the same line he uses back home so good enough for now. ]
Citrus, huh? Not usually my style, but I don't mind trying new things now and again. [ he is buying all of this, thanks. ]
Speaking of large communal baths, the ones in the manor aren't quite that—a bit too small even if there's a variety in the baths.
[He knows that some of the girls go overboard but he always thought it was unrealistic for a single person to use so many products all the time....... then again maybe he just isn't keeping track of whatever the maids keep throwing at him back home. Or this guy is higher ranking nobility. Either or.
That or Bluelilocks watches too many infomercials. His society is probably advanced enough... so maybe it's less feudalism and more capitalism. Or, as Cid's home-away-from-home suggests, it's always possible to have both somehow.]
What's your usual, anyway? I don't think me or this market can guarantee anything. [disclaimers are always the first line of defense] The baths in the manor... I don't know, I kind of like a cozy bath better than, say, a swimming pool type. Less time out of the water, too.
[That and he's way more used to smaller Japanese bath houses...]
I usually go for something floral and woodsy, sometimes water notes for certain occasions. [ disclaimer if he mentions what he wears at some point in the next 400 chapters of canon i cannot be blamed. ]
If you're calling it a swimming pool type, does that mean you've swam across one?
[Or. Their priorities are just different. But Cid's priorities have always been turbo-skewed, anyway, so sometimes he outright forgets that other people have Daily Life Things that happen that aren't obligatory events.
I'm assuming Khun isn't super perfumed or anything at this point in time, but that's still something to file away, probably...? He has enough trouble telling people apart, so scents are one way of identifying them. Even if this one is weird and blue enough to stand out.]
Oh. Now that you mention it, floral scents are pretty popular back home too -- they're just easy to overdo. But it's a good thing you like woody stuff, I guess. [he has no idea what 'water notes' is, why does this keep getting more complicated; he's just going to stick with bath-adjacent stuff] Uh, I've only really seen the big ones in brochures and newspapers... That's higher class than li'l ol' me.
I wouldn't say that, but I do know how to use my time efficiently.
[ his priorities are real, though. and no he's not super perfumed, but there is probably a light pleasant scent with water notes, so yay for identification(?). or describing water could just haunt us both eternally.
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no subject
[Now, whether he feels like a wizard or even feels like being a wizard in this type of environment is another thing altogether. Cid is good at going with the flow, and he's even got a wizard allowance out of it, so he's inclined to overlook some things. Still, he's not so sure about this.
For the moment, though, tagging along with his shopping companion is paramount -- it's not a bad thing to see more of this world, if only so that he can reconnoiter a bit better and also, like, unfuck his magic. Probably.]
I wouldn't mind more loungewear, though. [is he planning on just being a layabout, maybe] I guess I was thinking something more Midgar-like. There's d-- stuff called department stores now where they sell just about anything, and it's all high-class...
no subject
I come from a world with computers, I know what a department store is. Though I'm not sure I'd call them all high-class, depends on the floor. [ he should. probably explain what he means by floor but he will not. ]
You're one of the first people I've met who's heard of that kind of stuff though. A lot of the other "wizards" here seem used to the complete lack of technology, if not electricity too.
no subject
They're pretty high-class where I come from? Maybe that's 'cause they're all-new and cater mostly to the aristocracy, though... And I guess none of them sell, uh, computers.
[Nailed it. When was the last time he touched a keyboard. Damn, it's like discovering the ruins of a lost civilization within his own brain.]
Maybe it's the balance between magic and technology -- there's been more development when it comes to fusing them where I come from, but a lot of it is recent. Most people are still way more into magic and that's what most of us end up learning.
Still, this place doesn't even have steam...
no subject
please hold for when i complete my read of tower of god at 400+ chapters. ]It's the same with Shinsu, that's basically "magic" where I come from. You always have a group of people that reject the norm and rough it, though. I know there's at least one guy who insists on using radios for communication instead...
[ shaking his head. truly he has been whisked away to a world full of ye oldes, tragic. ]
No steam either, huh? [ he'll believe it when he sees it, or rather doesn't see it? but he goes along with for now because yeah he hasn't seen any steam powered tech either. ]
Even that's pretty barbaric nowadays, but you can at least make steam with water and heat. And they have fire, at least. We could just introduce it to them...
[ that might be the sound of Capitalism whirring in his brain. ]
no subject
"Shinsu"... [he turns it over in his mouth with a sort of fascination that is 100% real, actually] Some sort of supernatural ability that can also be used with tech, right? Seems like there's a lot of people here who reject magic, too. That's not much of a thing where I come from, probably because of the kingdom's support.
[Or maybe it's just because magic is convenient?? He never actually thought that much about it, but he just sort of assumes a lot of people go with what the king(s) says. Politics, blahblah.]
What, steam is barbaric to you? I get the feeling that you would shock some of the people here to death with that big a leap, you know.
[It's not really too strong a discouragement. It's not like he's got room to talk, in either the capitalism or technology aspects. But look. None of that is really his fault.]
no subject
[ magic is energy too right? right. like you can do insane things in the Tower but some rules can't be broken, or rather, they can only be broken in a certain way. with a notable exception, but khun's not keen on thinking about baam at the moment. ]
I think they could handle it. And if they can't, they just need to get stronger, or—get shocked to death? [ a light chuckle, clearly this is a joke. or is it? ]
But speaking of steam, that's one of the things I want to get: a hair straightener. Some shampoo, conditioner, oils...
no subject
[He's still not entirely sure how mana stones work, but it's something worth looking into. What he doesn't say is that magic is just a type of energy that isn't widely understood or perfectly harnessed; but maybe that's being a bit arrogant too, all things considered.
There's a small pfft because is it really a joke if it's entirely within the realm of possibility. This guy seems like he'd joke his way right into it, somehow. That's what happens when you've got main character aura and hair.]
Have you even met any of 'em? It's a little premature to start turning their worldview upside down. What if they brand you a heretic wizard and run you out of town? [his light tone says that he's totally joking, and definitely not that he kind of wants to see a witch hunt one of these days] ... Keeping up on grooming in a different world's gotta be tough, huh.
[He's always either been in normie mode or just slapped magic on things, so he really hasn't thought about it until now.]
no subject
[ this is actually the truth even if he can be terribly impulsive at the worst of times, but we share strengths not weaknesses. ]
It'll be a challenge, but not one I can't conquer. [ khun this is about beauty not a tournament. he meanders over to one of the stalls that looks like it sells general aromatherapy and bath supplies. ]
You're not going to just settle for looking like you rolled out of bed every morning, right?
no subject
[Even if he is getting the inkling that the fellow's a bit more chaotic than his prim exterior makes him look. But also Cid's standard for 'rushing into things' is just anything short of Leeroy Jenkins so maybe his judgment is a bit off on this one. Delta's fault.
Honestly Cid is not sure whether the challenge is now beauty or knocking the laymen's socks off or knocking out fellow wizards with beauty but he's. Fine with this? He'll see where this goes... Running a careless eye over the bath supplies, they seem a bit more specialized than the ones at the manor or that you'd find in a hot springs inn or something.]
But, uh, I'm sure it'll be an interesting challenge? Of some kind? [almost like a reflex he reaches up and smooths down his slightly flippy hair] And I may not look like it, but I'm a man who's fonder of baths than just about any other man I know. I just tend to spend most of my days training at school.
[Not...... entirely correct, but it's totally his way of defending the fact that looking like you rolled out of bed takes!! Time and skill!! Coordination!!! And just the right amount of laissez-faire.]
no subject
[ an appraising look, blue eyes following that reflexive hair adjustment. his lip curls up, amused. ]
Then you'll have to show me what you recommend. You can stick to the basics like scents since we're both new to these item enhancements.
[ is he calling cid's bluff or is he just honestly interested in what he would recommend? both. ]
no subject
Well. He's not the soap and water type, but this is a bit over-the-top for him. Still, perhaps he can hit Khun with the ol' one-two of somebody who grew up with way too many girls. Not all of them are bathing aficionados either, but there's strength in numbers...!
He taps a couple of bottles. Shampoo and conditioner (easy), cleanser and bath scrub (intermediate, but he's spent enough time with glamorous people, surely...!), hair oil (he is pretty sure Delta uses this on her tail or is forced by Alpha to groom with it but that's neither here nor there).]
I wouldn't say I use all of this? But some of it comes recommended by acquaintances and stuff. Uhh... This one's not too bad as far as scents go, I think. [it's sandalwood and and whatever passes for orange here] Mostly I know the stuff that gets used in bigger communal baths, y'know.
[Floral scents tend to be the majority in a place like Shadow Garden, obviously, but classic Japanese fruit and woodsy scents are pretty nice even if harder to find. That said, he really has no idea how everyone's superhuman senses deal with too much fragrance, so it's a bit of a tossup.]
no subject
Citrus, huh? Not usually my style, but I don't mind trying new things now and again. [ he is buying all of this, thanks. ]
Speaking of large communal baths, the ones in the manor aren't quite that—a bit too small even if there's a variety in the baths.
no subject
[He knows that some of the girls go overboard but he always thought it was unrealistic for a single person to use so many products all the time....... then again maybe he just isn't keeping track of whatever the maids keep throwing at him back home. Or this guy is higher ranking nobility. Either or.
That or Bluelilocks watches too many infomercials. His society is probably advanced enough... so maybe it's less feudalism and more capitalism. Or, as Cid's home-away-from-home suggests, it's always possible to have both somehow.]
What's your usual, anyway? I don't think me or this market can guarantee anything. [disclaimers are always the first line of defense] The baths in the manor... I don't know, I kind of like a cozy bath better than, say, a swimming pool type. Less time out of the water, too.
[That and he's way more used to smaller Japanese bath houses...]
no subject
I usually go for something floral and woodsy, sometimes water notes for certain occasions. [ disclaimer if he mentions what he wears at some point in the next 400 chapters of canon i cannot be blamed. ]
If you're calling it a swimming pool type, does that mean you've swam across one?
no subject
[Or. Their priorities are just different. But Cid's priorities have always been turbo-skewed, anyway, so sometimes he outright forgets that other people have Daily Life Things that happen that aren't obligatory events.
I'm assuming Khun isn't super perfumed or anything at this point in time, but that's still something to file away, probably...? He has enough trouble telling people apart, so scents are one way of identifying them. Even if this one is weird and blue enough to stand out.]
Oh. Now that you mention it, floral scents are pretty popular back home too -- they're just easy to overdo. But it's a good thing you like woody stuff, I guess. [he has no idea what 'water notes' is, why does this keep getting more complicated; he's just going to stick with bath-adjacent stuff] Uh, I've only really seen the big ones in brochures and newspapers... That's higher class than li'l ol' me.
You haven't seen those?
no subject
[ his priorities are real, though. and no he's not super perfumed, but there is probably a light pleasant scent with water notes, so yay for identification(?). or describing water could just haunt us both eternally.
khun smiles, amused. ]
Is there a reason you think I would have?