Nope. [ Showing off ranks above saving the world on the shortlist of things he is good at doing, and he really has been putting the work in to be a pretty okay world-saver lately. But he'll answer Jake's question without delay, since he's been so kind as to call the feat impressive in however roundabout a way. ] It's one of the more fundamental forms our magic takes. So technically it's just one aspect of said vocation, but that wouldn't have fit the brief.
[ The brief he wrote for himself, two seconds ago. The mandala spins its sacred geometries around themselves as he holds it steady, active even in passivity. ]
[ It might be annoying if Jake couldn't recognize himself in that smirk. It brings an immediate realization: he would've hated this guy in his twenties. White-knuckle, sour-grapes, writing-his-name-on-a-piece-of-paper-and-setting-it-on-fire level hatred. Just thinking about competing with this human for accolades from the depowered masses would be enough to make past-Jake start frothing at the mouth, figuratively and literally.
That realization is followed swiftly by a second: thank glob his twenties were dead and buried. Not very often that Jake finds himself thinking that. ]
'Our'? Should I bother asking for elaboration, or does your wizard order have some sorta a 'no wiz biz for normies' clause in your bylaws?
[ 'Wizards only, fools' was the de facto law of the land back in Ooo, after all. ]
Sorcerers. [ If you please. ] And you'd think, but somehow no. That didn't stop the majority of the planet being unaware magic existed until roughly the time I came onto the scene.
[ Which, no comment on why the timing aligns so closely there. Some of us are just flashier than others. Though technically he's not sure he can consider it his own achievement that the skies of Hong Kong opened up at the behest of a world-hungry primordial being intent on consuming the planet into its own dimension, marking the first of a series of events that necessarily made their organisation a known entity. Or - at least, or especially - made him a particularly known entity.
Anyway. ]
Masters of the Mystic Arts. A group of sorcerers responsible for defending our dimension from extradimensional threat. Among other things.
That's gotta be the most... uh, whimsical version of MMA I've ever heard of, man. [ He kind of means nerdy, and he would have said nerdy, if not for the 'defending our dimension from extradimensional threat' part. That was pretty damn sick, actually. ] My bro and I did a little of that on the side for a friend of mine.
Jibs, man, actually. Maybe you know him? [ Jake abandons his usual form, stretching outward along the floor and up the far wall into a distinct two-dimensional silhouette, like a shadow cast by nothing. ] His name's Prismo. The time room he lives in exists outside all known dimensions, so you two might've crossed paths?
Though on second thought, I wouldn't call him threatening. He makes a mean pickle, if that counts.
[ Jake says whimsical and Stephen hears the pause it takes him to get there and makes a variety of appropriate translations in his head, mostly because he knows exactly how it sounds. Like a cult, courtesy of Christine. Now a 'whimsical' version of MMA. Stephen huffs his amusement, liking that one, no offense taken.
Then Jake the dog's a flat man stretched over the planes of the kitchen and he's reminded once again that he still hasn't seen it all, and for every weird thing he's lived through there remain a litany of weird things yet to present themselves to him. ]
Afraid not. I think I'd remember. [ He'd definitely remember. ] I'll have to keep an eye out for him.
[ At this point, there's no reason why that might not as well happen. Which is less important than - ]
'On the side' of what, if you don't mind me asking?
[ What do a dog and a boy usually get up to that leaves dimension-defending as a side hustle? ]
[ The multiverse is a vast and deeply "whimsical" place, buddy. You either humble yourself before it or, if you're a dog named Jake, you accept that you're simply not smart enough to comprehend it. Either way, you get to feel your brain turn inside out from the sheer enormity of time and reality. Also, canned goods! ]
You guys would get along great. He's a lot like you, actually. [ Jake snaps back to himself, with grinning fondness as he thought of his friend. ] Solidly cool dudes, wild powers, so-so taste in flying friends.
[ Hopefully the shrugging expression on his face makes it clear he's joking. For all he has and will continue to take the piss out of Dr. Blanket over there, Jake has grown a soft spot for the cloak. And the Cosmic Owl, for that matter. ]
Oh, y'know. A little of this, a little of that. We were sorta the go-to duo for odd jobs around Ooo. [ Jake's paw elongates into clear fingers, counting them off casually. ] Monster slaying, treasure guarding, treasure stealing, messenger services, running errands for my son. Just, y'know, whatever.
I thought about getting my notary public certification once, but even that was kinda too close to a real job, y'feel me? [ Jake scoffs, answering his own question with a laugh. ] Pssh, of course you feel me. Not like you get a W2 for being an interdimensional earth defender, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
2/2
Never miss an excuse to show off, do ya?
no subject
Nope. [ Showing off ranks above saving the world on the shortlist of things he is good at doing, and he really has been putting the work in to be a pretty okay world-saver lately. But he'll answer Jake's question without delay, since he's been so kind as to call the feat impressive in however roundabout a way. ] It's one of the more fundamental forms our magic takes. So technically it's just one aspect of said vocation, but that wouldn't have fit the brief.
[ The brief he wrote for himself, two seconds ago. The mandala spins its sacred geometries around themselves as he holds it steady, active even in passivity. ]
no subject
That realization is followed swiftly by a second: thank glob his twenties were dead and buried.
Not very often that Jake finds himself thinking that.]'Our'? Should I bother asking for elaboration, or does your wizard order have some sorta a 'no wiz biz for normies' clause in your bylaws?
[ 'Wizards only, fools' was the de facto law of the land back in Ooo, after all. ]
no subject
[ Which, no comment on why the timing aligns so closely there. Some of us are just flashier than others. Though technically he's not sure he can consider it his own achievement that the skies of Hong Kong opened up at the behest of a world-hungry primordial being intent on consuming the planet into its own dimension, marking the first of a series of events that necessarily made their organisation a known entity. Or - at least, or especially - made him a particularly known entity.
Anyway. ]
Masters of the Mystic Arts. A group of sorcerers responsible for defending our dimension from extradimensional threat. Among other things.
no subject
That's gotta be the most... uh, whimsical version of MMA I've ever heard of, man. [ He kind of means nerdy, and he would have said nerdy, if not for the 'defending our dimension from extradimensional threat' part. That was pretty damn sick, actually. ] My bro and I did a little of that on the side for a friend of mine.
Jibs, man, actually. Maybe you know him? [ Jake abandons his usual form, stretching outward along the floor and up the far wall into a distinct two-dimensional silhouette, like a shadow cast by nothing. ] His name's Prismo. The time room he lives in exists outside all known dimensions, so you two might've crossed paths?
Though on second thought, I wouldn't call him threatening. He makes a mean pickle, if that counts.
[ That... probably doesn't count. ]
no subject
Then Jake the dog's a flat man stretched over the planes of the kitchen and he's reminded once again that he still hasn't seen it all, and for every weird thing he's lived through there remain a litany of weird things yet to present themselves to him. ]
Afraid not. I think I'd remember. [ He'd definitely remember. ] I'll have to keep an eye out for him.
[ At this point, there's no reason why that might not as well happen. Which is less important than - ]
'On the side' of what, if you don't mind me asking?
[ What do a dog and a boy usually get up to that leaves dimension-defending as a side hustle? ]
no subject
You guys would get along great. He's a lot like you, actually. [ Jake snaps back to himself, with grinning fondness as he thought of his friend. ] Solidly cool dudes, wild powers, so-so taste in flying friends.
[ Hopefully the shrugging expression on his face makes it clear he's joking. For all he has and will continue to take the piss out of Dr. Blanket over there, Jake has grown a soft spot for the cloak. And the Cosmic Owl, for that matter. ]
Oh, y'know. A little of this, a little of that. We were sorta the go-to duo for odd jobs around Ooo. [ Jake's paw elongates into clear fingers, counting them off casually. ] Monster slaying, treasure guarding, treasure stealing, messenger services, running errands for my son. Just, y'know, whatever.
I thought about getting my notary public certification once, but even that was kinda too close to a real job, y'feel me? [ Jake scoffs, answering his own question with a laugh. ] Pssh, of course you feel me. Not like you get a W2 for being an interdimensional earth defender, right?