I would have to say Tarrytown. [now, here comes the ruse:] If only because field work will be taking me there fairly soon. I could finally see which Cubits you've managed to befriend.
[And also Stephen, but, you know. Neither here nor there.]
Bold of you to assume I've managed to befriend any. [ He has, in fact, managed to befriend (??) many, so. ] Tarrytown it is. But if I sense you trying to lure me into gainful employment, I'll be gone faster than you can say by the by.
[ Is he being rude? Yes. At least he didn't try the accent. ]
Edited (that icon is never giving what i want it to give) 2023-07-14 17:54 (UTC)
[It is too embarrassing for him to comment on (because he's NOT EVEN WRONG about it, ugh) so instead, Yujin sends...
An, admittedly, very cute video of his Slowysaur trotting past a colorful sign that reads "Tarrytown". She takes a seat back on her haunches and glances back over her shoulder at Yujin, wearing an expression that is just a little bit judgmental.
Slow, enunciates Slowysaur. Pointedly.]
Sooner than I thought, actually. The rapid-train is, in fact, rapid.
In turn, another video. This one is a bit of a puzzle - just the plants and trees and the peaceful soundscape of some deep part of Whimsey Forest. For quite a long time, actually. Long enough that something about the stillness and the quiet might begin to seem a little eerie, slightly foreboding - did that shadow move? Is Stephen even there?
Which is exactly the moment that this thing appears abruptly so close to the camera it consumes the entire shot, and with that jumpscare the video cuts off—
And if Yujin jumps too hard he'll step right into where Stephen stands not too far behind him, barely trying not to smirk. An awful, awful bastard. ]
Look at that, me too.
[ Just above his shoulder floats the offending Jigglyki, a Hopgar stood with a slightly unsettling smile at his side. All that can be seen of his third companion are the purple claws gripping one of Stephen's arms and the spines of its poorly hidden headbody sticking out from over his shoulders. ]
[Yujin, who'd been genuinely focused on the video before him, jumps as the Jigglyki appears, stumbling backward to nearly collide with Stephen where he stands. He just misses stumbling directly into him, frankly-- he's got decent reflexes, though, and is able to whirl about on his heel before he bowls them both over.]
Always with the magic! [huffs Yujin: grouchy, but not that grouchy. It's good to see Stephen, even if he's a horrible evil wizard man who deserves to be thrown in the river a thousand times over. Maybe someday he'll get used to this (yeah, no).]
He can't keep a lid on his obvious self-satisfaction, but Stephen opts to take the sting out of it by nodding toward where Yujin's Slowysaur sits waiting for him by the sign that welcomes them to Tarrytown. ]
[Violet the Slowysaur turns toward Stephen and the new Cubits with a longsuffering expression-- get a load of these weirdoes!!-- before uttering a decisive saur. She does an about-face, then trots along, intent on shepherding the whole pack of them this way. Yujin smiles slightly at Stephen before following, keeping pace with him as they make their way into town.
And it is, in fact, a quaint little place, despite Torpedo's rumored presence. Stephen's creepy ghost companions aside, this feels... normal, nearly. It almost makes Yujin miss those weeks of sharing space in his Nuhiri apartment. For once, the fate of the world isn't at stake where they are, at least not yet.]
Do you like Japanese food? There were enough Japanese-sounding names on the mission file that I'd wager we might find something close.
[A beat.] Sorry, I'm never sure with all our worlds. Yours does have a Japan, correct?
[ The Weeter at his back is not happy to be in motion alongside a new human, uttering a strained and husky weeeeee and keeping a firm grim on Stephen's arms so he can use him as a human shield if the situation calls for it. Hopgar ambles casually along beside them, Jigglyki maintaining an uncannily precise proximity to Stephen's shoulder as it floats their course.
A smile at Yujin's check-in - it really always is worth asking here, huh? ]
It does, and I do. [ Like Japanese food, that is. ] Though it's been a while since I've done much more than order the house ramen. You'll have to recommend some dishes.
[ A few more strolling steps turns the idea of Earth over in his head for a moment - ]
[Yujin is making a noble effort to not look at that haunted little Jigglyki: it's probably a sweetheart when not being used to scare him. Probably. Violet, of course, continues to lead, casting a furtive glance behind her to ensure the newcomers aren't bullying her poor trainer any longer. Reassured for the moment, she trudges along.]
Oh, of course! [Yujin brightens. Don't mind him already beginning to mentally compile a list of things to feed Stephen.] Though you are actually keeping up with culinary trends. Ramen's fairly new, from my perspective.
[As for New York? At the question, Yujin hums in the negative, shaking his head.]
Nor anywhere else in America. My work hasn't brought me there yet, and the trip is a long and expensive one. [Not quite so long as Japan to London, but definitely an ocean voyage of over a month. For the sake of weaseling out anything non-magical and personal about Stephen, however, he'll stick to that line of conversation.] Is that where you're based?
Yeah. Turns out it's conveniently the site of one of four arcane hotspots that form a mystic shield around the Earth, so I haven't had to move far for work.
[ About that non-magical, personal angle... There's a hint of something wry in the lines around his eyes though, very aware that everything that ever comes out of his mouth sounds borderline ridiculous and leaning into it on purpose. A creeping smirk and sidelong glance at Yujin makes it an in-joke before he sinks back into topics marginally more regular. ]
I studied at Columbia University, worked at Metro-General in the city. Moved from an Upper West Side apartment to the Sanctum in Greenwich Village when I changed career paths, and that's where I am now.
[ When he's not... absolutely everywhere else, including here and now having this very conversation, but that's a topic drift. ]
You trained in London?
[ He's friends with ~Herlock Sholmes~ (can't wait to meet Strephen Stange) and has an accent that wouldn't be out of place amongst the cast of Downton Abbey. Stephen's fairly confident in this particular assumption. ]
Edited (when you're english and haven't done even 1 second of research on new york in your life ) 2023-08-05 08:45 (UTC)
[Sometimes Yujin wonders how much of Stephen's weird magic stuff is real and how much is just made up to tease him. Could go either way, honestly.]
I don't know of any mystic shields, [he raises an eyebrow at his friend's smirk-- okay, yeah, Stephen is doing this on purpose] but I do know of Columbia's medical school. [Wasn't there something else about Columbia that'd just happened... He combs his brain for academia gossip, all of which seems lightyears away at this point.] I hope they're actually accepting female students by now.
[As for London, Stephen is, of course, on the money: he's well aware of what the English he'd learned sounds like, especially this crew. He has never seen so many Americans in one place in his life tbh. Yujin hums in acknowledgment.]
Yes, just for forensic pathology. I was already a doctor by then. I was part of the first cohort of Japanese students sent to study a specialty in England. [A wistful, nostalgic smile:] It was an interesting time.
[Which is the understatement of the century, perhaps, but there's just so much to all of it: there's no convenient place to pick up on that story.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I don't do autographs as a rule, but I'd make an exception. You only had to ask.
no subject
Only an autograph? What a shame, you've let the fame go to your head already.
Where are you headed? If your location isn't too top secret to tell me, that is.
no subject
[ :') ]
Good question. I'm deliberating between Oldenshard and Tarrytown. Any recommendations between the two?
no subject
[they both know this is super not true]
I would have to say Tarrytown. [now, here comes the ruse:] If only because field work will be taking me there fairly soon. I could finally see which Cubits you've managed to befriend.
[And also Stephen, but, you know. Neither here nor there.]
no subject
[ Obviously not.... ]
Bold of you to assume I've managed to befriend any. [ He has, in fact, managed to befriend (??) many, so. ] Tarrytown it is. But if I sense you trying to lure me into gainful employment, I'll be gone faster than you can say by the by.
[ Is he being rude? Yes. At least he didn't try the accent. ]
no subject
[NICE TRY, STRANGE.]
No tricks, no gainful employment. Just a hello. [...] Perhaps lunch, if your adoring public can spare you.
no subject
[ Start shit get hit (with embarrassing behaviour) Mikotoba ]
How soon is soon?
video;
An, admittedly, very cute video of his Slowysaur trotting past a colorful sign that reads "Tarrytown". She takes a seat back on her haunches and glances back over her shoulder at Yujin, wearing an expression that is just a little bit judgmental.
Slow, enunciates Slowysaur. Pointedly.]
Sooner than I thought, actually. The rapid-train is, in fact, rapid.
video > action; i'm sorry he's like this
In turn, another video. This one is a bit of a puzzle - just the plants and trees and the peaceful soundscape of some deep part of Whimsey Forest. For quite a long time, actually. Long enough that something about the stillness and the quiet might begin to seem a little eerie, slightly foreboding - did that shadow move? Is Stephen even there?
Which is exactly the moment that this thing appears abruptly so close to the camera it consumes the entire shot, and with that jumpscare the video cuts off—
And if Yujin jumps too hard he'll step right into where Stephen stands not too far behind him, barely trying not to smirk. An awful, awful bastard. ]
Look at that, me too.
[ Just above his shoulder floats the offending Jigglyki, a Hopgar stood with a slightly unsettling smile at his side. All that can be seen of his third companion are the purple claws gripping one of Stephen's arms and the spines of its poorly hidden headbody sticking out from over his shoulders. ]
stephen youre the worst
Waugh!
[Yujin, who'd been genuinely focused on the video before him, jumps as the Jigglyki appears, stumbling backward to nearly collide with Stephen where he stands. He just misses stumbling directly into him, frankly-- he's got decent reflexes, though, and is able to whirl about on his heel before he bowls them both over.]
Always with the magic! [huffs Yujin: grouchy, but not that grouchy. It's good to see Stephen, even if he's a horrible evil wizard man who deserves to be thrown in the river a thousand times over. Maybe someday he'll get used to this (yeah, no).]
You could give a man some warning?
you flatter him
[ And y e t.
He can't keep a lid on his obvious self-satisfaction, but Stephen opts to take the sting out of it by nodding toward where Yujin's Slowysaur sits waiting for him by the sign that welcomes them to Tarrytown. ]
Still on for lunch?
no subject
[Violet the Slowysaur turns toward Stephen and the new Cubits with a longsuffering expression-- get a load of these weirdoes!!-- before uttering a decisive saur. She does an about-face, then trots along, intent on shepherding the whole pack of them this way. Yujin smiles slightly at Stephen before following, keeping pace with him as they make their way into town.
And it is, in fact, a quaint little place, despite Torpedo's rumored presence. Stephen's creepy ghost companions aside, this feels... normal, nearly. It almost makes Yujin miss those weeks of sharing space in his Nuhiri apartment. For once, the fate of the world isn't at stake where they are, at least not yet.]
Do you like Japanese food? There were enough Japanese-sounding names on the mission file that I'd wager we might find something close.
[A beat.] Sorry, I'm never sure with all our worlds. Yours does have a Japan, correct?
no subject
A smile at Yujin's check-in - it really always is worth asking here, huh? ]
It does, and I do. [ Like Japanese food, that is. ] Though it's been a while since I've done much more than order the house ramen. You'll have to recommend some dishes.
[ A few more strolling steps turns the idea of Earth over in his head for a moment - ]
Have you ever been to New York?
no subject
Oh, of course! [Yujin brightens. Don't mind him already beginning to mentally compile a list of things to feed Stephen.] Though you are actually keeping up with culinary trends. Ramen's fairly new, from my perspective.
[As for New York? At the question, Yujin hums in the negative, shaking his head.]
Nor anywhere else in America. My work hasn't brought me there yet, and the trip is a long and expensive one. [Not quite so long as Japan to London, but definitely an ocean voyage of over a month. For the sake of weaseling out anything non-magical and personal about Stephen, however, he'll stick to that line of conversation.] Is that where you're based?
no subject
[ About that non-magical, personal angle... There's a hint of something wry in the lines around his eyes though, very aware that everything that ever comes out of his mouth sounds borderline ridiculous and leaning into it on purpose. A creeping smirk and sidelong glance at Yujin makes it an in-joke before he sinks back into topics marginally more regular. ]
I studied at Columbia University, worked at Metro-General in the city. Moved from an Upper West Side apartment to the Sanctum in Greenwich Village when I changed career paths, and that's where I am now.
[ When he's not... absolutely everywhere else, including here and now having this very conversation, but that's a topic drift. ]
You trained in London?
[ He's friends with ~Herlock Sholmes~ (can't wait to meet Strephen Stange) and has an accent that wouldn't be out of place amongst the cast of Downton Abbey. Stephen's fairly confident in this particular assumption. ]
no subject
I don't know of any mystic shields, [he raises an eyebrow at his friend's smirk-- okay, yeah, Stephen is doing this on purpose] but I do know of Columbia's medical school. [Wasn't there something else about Columbia that'd just happened... He combs his brain for academia gossip, all of which seems lightyears away at this point.] I hope they're actually accepting female students by now.
[As for London, Stephen is, of course, on the money: he's well aware of what the English he'd learned sounds like, especially this crew. He has never seen so many Americans in one place in his life tbh. Yujin hums in acknowledgment.]
Yes, just for forensic pathology. I was already a doctor by then. I was part of the first cohort of Japanese students sent to study a specialty in England. [A wistful, nostalgic smile:] It was an interesting time.
[Which is the understatement of the century, perhaps, but there's just so much to all of it: there's no convenient place to pick up on that story.]