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In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.
In unison, they complete their shared spell.
Adarin in Elcenia
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"Toiletries, things for personal hygiene and the like. Probably a mirror pair, for easy communication - nothing fancy, just something small. Oh, and if the cafeteria doesn't serve tea, I'd like some," he says, looking at the buildings curiously. They're much, much taller than he's used to, but he doesn't comment. "For non-necessities I'd like to pay you back in the future, after I've started making portals. It seems wrong otherwise."
"I'm not actually sure if there's tea; I don't drink it. And I'm supposed to buy you anything not-ridiculous that you want because it's my and Saasnil's fault that you need it."
"I understand, and do agree with the practice, but I'd prefer to avoid taking financial advantage of you both. As I said, it seems wrong," he points out, shrugging a little. "Besides, I'm technically already rich and money isn't a high-priority factor."
"Well - I guess that will come up later. I'm not sure Mom will let us take the money if you try to give it to us."
"Then I suppose that's out of my hands. I'll try not to bankrupt you, if it's any consolation."
Korulen nods. "There's a clothes shop that does shoes, too, and has men's clothes, up ahead." She points. All of the stores appear to be named after people, so it's not easy to determine from a distance which is a clothes shop.
Adarin looks. He has a bit of trouble picking out which shop is for what, due to the naming scheme. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to lead me to the shop. None of them are named after what they sell."
"Right, that's the plan," Korulen says, "is me escorting you so I can pay for it, I just meant it's not far. Why would they be named after what they sell? Then you'd have a dozen shops with nothing to do with each other all called 'Sandwiches' or 'Stationery'."
"The shops I've seen at home weren't named that uncreatively, they just lean towards what they do in the name. For example, there's a clothing and tailoring shop that's called Snips and Stiches. I don't think that pun translated, but it's... Clever, in my language," he explains. "That kind of thing."
"Huh. Here you just have to learn who runs which kind of store. You still get redundancies - there's a Kithen's that's haircuts and a Kithen's that's a publisher, off the top of my head - but not that many."
"Hm. Well, if it works for you then by all means."
They reach the clothes store, the function of which is somewhat more obvious when they're close enough to see through the glass storefront. "Okay, tell me what kind of things you like, is what you're wearing a good place to start or was it - I don't know, something your grandmother bought you that you had to wear because she was going to visit?"
Adarin snickers. "No, these are a good place to start."
Shopping trip for clothes ensues. Clothes are picked out, and then bought. It's all very exciting and the two of them will probably be able to shop reasonably well together. Korulen knows fashion in Elcenia better than Adarin would, but of course he has a good idea of his own taste.
The end result is a modest wardrobe, with culture-appropriate looking clothes. Adarin tends towards the practical in basic clothing, but likes somewhat fancier jackets. These kinds of things are bought, though he does very obviously avoid bankrupting Korulen. He can always come back later and buy more things once his portal-empire has taken root.
Soon enough, clothes shopping would be finished. A sense of accomplishment is felt by all.
Shopping trip for clothes ensues. Clothes are picked out, and then bought. It's all very exciting and the two of them will probably be able to shop reasonably well together. Korulen knows fashion in Elcenia better than Adarin would, but of course he has a good idea of his own taste.
The end result is a modest wardrobe, with culture-appropriate looking clothes. Adarin tends towards the practical in basic clothing, but likes somewhat fancier jackets. These kinds of things are bought, though he does very obviously avoid bankrupting Korulen. He can always come back later and buy more things once his portal-empire has taken root.
Soon enough, clothes shopping would be finished. A sense of accomplishment is felt by all.
After this, Korulen finds a store that has both sheets and miscellaneous toiletries. The latter vary in recognizability and she does her best to explain the intended function of the bottled potions and magical implements.
Her companion is confused by lots of these unfamiliar toiletry things! But he gets on board with the program soon enough, once they're explained. His world's not as advanced on that note, but he supports this change completely. Cleanliness, hurray!
Sheets and toiletries are bought. The sense of accomplishment would strengthen, along with the load of things they're carrying.
Sheets and toiletries are bought. The sense of accomplishment would strengthen, along with the load of things they're carrying.
And then they locate his pair of mirrors, and then they go to a grocery store where there is a variety of tea to select from. (The same store will also supply a 'hot waterspout', which will conjure water when twisted open in a state of hot, rather than water in a state of cold, as is typical for waterspouts. This water can be used to make tea.)
Adarin picks out a variety of tea that sounds vaguely familiar, along with a few others that look interesting, and is then completely charmed by the hot waterspout. Korulen might be a little amused by his delight when he finds out that conjuring water can be done with a variety of temperatures.
He is quietly making plans of buying fifty waterspouts and then making even more money back home with them. He's not even sure what he'd even do with all of this potential money, but he's certain he'll think of something. Eventually. As soon as he's stopped being incredibly charmed by self-heating water conjurers.
He is quietly making plans of buying fifty waterspouts and then making even more money back home with them. He's not even sure what he'd even do with all of this potential money, but he's certain he'll think of something. Eventually. As soon as he's stopped being incredibly charmed by self-heating water conjurers.
If he were making these plans less quietly Korulen would be apologetic about the non-portability of wizardry.
At any rate, once they have all of his things they begin heading back to the school.
At any rate, once they have all of his things they begin heading back to the school.
It's a good thing he's not saying them out loud, then, because it would dampen his mood to have a plan foiled. He'll connect the dots later when he remembers how Keo mentioned that wizardry doesn't like to transport to other worlds. Best to leave him in blissful ignorance until then.
Them heading back to the school occurs. On the way back, Adarin asks for an explanation of how dragons work, in more depth. He's curious.
Them heading back to the school occurs. On the way back, Adarin asks for an explanation of how dragons work, in more depth. He's curious.
"You mean, the differences between dragons and humans?" clarifies Korulen.
"Well. That seems as good a comparison as any, really. Can they only shape-shift into humans, or is it... Literally anything?" he asks.
"It can be any species. Well, any single species - most dragons can't turn into half-human half-elves. But it can't be any number of things. They pick things permanently. For most dragons they get five learned shapes after their natural form and they don't get to pick exactly what it looks like, except it's predictable in some ways - Mom in human form looks exactly like Grandma in human form, for instance."
"Ah- that's an interesting set of rules to work with. Family reunions must get confusing if you don't wear different styles of clothes. Do all dragons have your mother's mental abilities, or is she a special case?"
"Oh, Mom is special. There's only one of her right now. There was overlap for a while when she was little."
Adarin's confused by this statement! "... Pardon, she- had a metaphorical twin, or a dragon with the same skills?"
It comes as a relief to hear that not all dragons could break his mind easily. Not much of one in that there is someone in the world that could break his mind, and he knows her personally, but every little thing counts.
It comes as a relief to hear that not all dragons could break his mind easily. Not much of one in that there is someone in the world that could break his mind, and he knows her personally, but every little thing counts.