times move fast, but this is faster than she's used to... she at least had a shred of an idea of the changes happening in the world previously. things that used to be there may not have been there before, but... ]
A recreational attraction. I see.
[
spoiler: she does not see. ]
Should I feel bad if I don't know what a car is either?
[ she won't, and she doesn't. she's gauging how common this thing is. ]
[ she smiles a bit as the cogs in ukyo's head start turning. the conclusion he comes to isn't one that can be verified with the certainty she would like, but the scenery around them and the explanations they were offered are far enough from familiarity that it may as well be.
all she can offer to that, at first, is: ]
It's an incredible magic. As expected from a Goddess.
[ game recognizes game. regardless, that's not the real topic at hand, and frieren's quick to move back on track after she confirms his suspicions. ]
... But I see my assumption that the go-karts were some kind of transport was right. If that's the case, why were you worried?
[ yeah, about the mumbling from before that he was ignoring... she's dragging it back up, with none tact. ]
[ it's fine, he's only mildly awkward about it? well, that's for frieren to judge. ]
Oh, well, you know how carriages and rickshaws can get into accidents? It's the same thing with cars, except they're made of metal so there's more parts that could become twisted and trap you, or stab you. Go-karts in particular are flimsier than cars so they provide less protection than cars do.
she's silent for a beat, two beats, as if running through those hypothetical accidents in her head. she supposes there was that time they got picked up by that bird and dropped from the sky. if they weren't in a carriage that time, perhaps they wouldn't have needed to spend the time brainstorming how not to die. ]
Huh. So it was that.
[ ... ]
You must have a very active imagination.
[ thinking of all the ways a part of a go-kart and car could twist and trap and stab. is he a ball of anxiety on the inside? ]
[ a little of yes, a little of no. he holds the poster out to her so she can see the advertisement for the race clearly. ]
Do go-karts interest you? If they do, you should join the race they're putting together. Or if you just want to see them in action, you could just watch too.
[ in a mirror of what he's said, a careful shadow of a smile on her face. a little of yes, a little of no.
the advertisement is the same as she's seen around. leaning over to see it confirms that, so her gaze — now neutral and shifted from that shred of emotion that flickered to life — naturally leads up to ukyo.
there's not even a grimoire listed in the rewards promised. nothing but a troublesome, apparently incredibly dangerous task. ]
I considered joining.
[ she looks back down at the poster. ]
Someone I knew used to enjoy pointless quests like this. In the end, it's one of those things you can't do alone, though, so...
[ so she'll be satisfied watching, or not watching. she'll see. ]
[ ukyo closes his eyes and the poster flaps in the breeze, the silence spreading between them. or maybe just the sounds of ukyo's braincells warring with each other, though ultimately it's only a few seconds before he opens his eyes and speaks again. ]
If you wanted to join and you need a partner, and you don't have anyone else [ that's too many ands ] I'd be willing to enter with you.
and frieren looks up, having thought that part of it done, uncertain how to carry the conversation past that. it wasn't as if she was entirely disappointed... her own desire was a whim, born out of an echo of a thought. there would be more moments; it didn't exactly have to be this one. ]
Why?
[ there's no gratitude in the question, and it's unclear if she feels it. ultimately, she's curious. ]
You could get trapped, or stabbed.
[ she is selling this. but these were his words, not hers. ]
Yeah I know, but that's not new to me. [ "the sky is blue, the rays of the sun are warm, and i've dealt with such terrible things". unlike his chattering before his voice is clear, almost too transparent like gossamer glittering on a fairy's wings. ]
there's no hiding the way that frieren looks at ukyo with that admission. she's no stranger to any of those injuries either, but the casual way he admits that is at odds with how seriously he'd considered everything previously.
it isn't suspicion that fuels her, of course. she just doesn't get what he's thinking.
even that last explanation is out of her understanding, with all it's familiarity. despite that, it settles within her the most. ]
... That's not new to me, too.
[ the danger? the offer of help? who knows. it's all frieren can think to say, at first, before she stretches out a hand towards ukyo. to seal the deal and all. ]
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no subject
I am. Would it be wrong of me to assume you aren't? They're more of a recreational attraction unlike actual cars, so you shouldn't feel bad.
[ she knows what a car is right. ]
no subject
times move fast, but this is faster than she's used to... she at least had a shred of an idea of the changes happening in the world previously. things that used to be there may not have been there before, but... ]
A recreational attraction. I see.
[
spoiler: she does not see. ]
Should I feel bad if I don't know what a car is either?
[ she won't, and she doesn't. she's gauging how common this thing is. ]
no subject
No, not really. There's still plenty of countries that rely on horses for transport, or people who prefer the country to the city.
[ though he thinks for a moment and realizes it might be beyond that. ]
Or are you from a world where they don't exist at all?
no subject
all she can offer to that, at first, is: ]
It's an incredible magic. As expected from a Goddess.
[ game recognizes game. regardless, that's not the real topic at hand, and frieren's quick to move back on track after she confirms his suspicions. ]
... But I see my assumption that the go-karts were some kind of transport was right. If that's the case, why were you worried?
[ yeah, about the mumbling from before that he was ignoring... she's dragging it back up, with none tact. ]
no subject
Oh, well, you know how carriages and rickshaws can get into accidents? It's the same thing with cars, except they're made of metal so there's more parts that could become twisted and trap you, or stab you. Go-karts in particular are flimsier than cars so they provide less protection than cars do.
no subject
she's silent for a beat, two beats, as if running through those hypothetical accidents in her head. she supposes there was that time they got picked up by that bird and dropped from the sky. if they weren't in a carriage that time, perhaps they wouldn't have needed to spend the time brainstorming how not to die. ]
Huh. So it was that.
[ ... ]
You must have a very active imagination.
[ thinking of all the ways a part of a go-kart and car could twist and trap and stab. is he a ball of anxiety on the inside? ]
no subject
[ a little of yes, a little of no. he holds the poster out to her so she can see the advertisement for the race clearly. ]
Do go-karts interest you? If they do, you should join the race they're putting together. Or if you just want to see them in action, you could just watch too.
no subject
Something like that.
[ in a mirror of what he's said, a careful shadow of a smile on her face. a little of yes, a little of no.
the advertisement is the same as she's seen around. leaning over to see it confirms that, so her gaze — now neutral and shifted from that shred of emotion that flickered to life — naturally leads up to ukyo.
there's not even a grimoire listed in the rewards promised. nothing but a troublesome, apparently incredibly dangerous task. ]
I considered joining.
[ she looks back down at the poster. ]
Someone I knew used to enjoy pointless quests like this. In the end, it's one of those things you can't do alone, though, so...
[ so she'll be satisfied watching, or not watching. she'll see. ]
no subject
If you wanted to join and you need a partner, and you don't have anyone else [ that's too many ands ] I'd be willing to enter with you.
no subject
and frieren looks up, having thought that part of it done, uncertain how to carry the conversation past that. it wasn't as if she was entirely disappointed... her own desire was a whim, born out of an echo of a thought. there would be more moments; it didn't exactly have to be this one. ]
Why?
[ there's no gratitude in the question, and it's unclear if she feels it. ultimately, she's curious. ]
You could get trapped, or stabbed.
[ she is selling this. but these were his words, not hers. ]
no subject
As for why—I want to help you.
no subject
there's no hiding the way that frieren looks at ukyo with that admission. she's no stranger to any of those injuries either, but the casual way he admits that is at odds with how seriously he'd considered everything previously.
it isn't suspicion that fuels her, of course. she just doesn't get what he's thinking.
even that last explanation is out of her understanding, with all it's familiarity. despite that, it settles within her the most. ]
... That's not new to me, too.
[ the danger? the offer of help? who knows. it's all frieren can think to say, at first, before she stretches out a hand towards ukyo. to seal the deal and all. ]
Who are you?
no subject
[ a laugh, bashful. ]
I should have said that first, shouldn't I have? [ he casts a quick look around and then shakes her hand, his grip solid enough. ]
And you?