numbertwohero | Prisma Overflow

[ Reception is in intent! He tells himself this firmly! Also because as much as he's admired growing young women's forms before, he doesn't find them attractive; he's too old! Not happening, not happening. Ergo the positive feedback loop here is shoved unceremoniously into the category of familial affection.

Still weird, but much more palatable. Perhaps this is how he'd feel if he had his younger sister around, or if he'd ever had a younger brother! ]

No, no, too conspicuous. Perhaps less so here.

[ He adds, gesturing with a closed fan toward the moving vehicles flying through the air below. ]

We go by foot, by horse, or by carriage. Flying like this is a matter of speed.

[ Implying it's a matter of using sword flight when speed is necessary. He's moving far faster than the vehicles below, and it's not hard for that to be extended into believing great distances can be managed in shorter periods of time moving like this.

No, it's not equivalent to airplane flight, but who the hell wants to fly that fast! The ground below would be sickening to see if not flying high enough to prevent it from becoming a blur, and imagine running into migrating birds? No explosions of blood and guts and feathers! He doesn't have a technique for cleaning his robes like high magic cultivation worlds otherwise seem to have!

The apartment block where Shoto's address indicated he lived approaches quickly, and Shen Qingqiu circles around before decreasing altitude with a sort of floating elegance that keeps the stomach from dropping too fast in the decline. Offhand, he wonders if people might be able to arrange sky diving from swords in a weird hybrid of modern and ancient. He promptly dismisses the idea as exceedingly silly. ]

[Honestly, if he'd had a healthier relationship with his family, or been closer to his siblings, maybe it would be easier to lump this kind of contact into that category. But he'd spent so much of his childhood isolated from his siblings, and affection from a parental figure had stopped dead after age 6, so as it stands, it's just...maybe it's like his teacher putting a hand on his shoulder after he's done well in an exam. Or like Midoriya, dozing off on the school bus against his shoulder on a long trip. It's still weird, but it's not bad, at least. And the view? Definitely helps to keep his mind from focusing on it and overanalyzing.]

Ah--so you must be from a world with less advanced technology. We haven't used carriages in most cities in over a hundred years, where I'm from.

[Tact. Maybe that's something he should focus on learning here, too. Hopefully Shen Qingqiu doesn't feel overly offended.

As they circle in for a landing, Shoto shifts his balance easily enough to accommodate the decline. Unfortunately, though, as they start to sink lower, he's gotta do something about his eyes, just in case--which means closing them, and holding just a little tighter to his waist to make up for it.]

I appreciate you choosing the fastest option to get me back. Hopefully it didn't put you too far out of your way?

[ Shen Qingqiu benefits from a first life with an affectionate, if not overly demonstrative, family, especially with his siblings, and then the fondness between himself and his disciples, and himself and his fellow Peak Lords. When you ask your martial junior brother to give you a sword lift often enough, you get used to certain kinds of casual contact.

Meanwhile he doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Yes, surely! Carriages are very out of date! Now only good for taking on a date! Except they're the top form of luxurious travel in his most recent world! And his preference, but here, he's...

... wow, he can ride in car-like vehicles again! Truly luxurious! What amazing potential!

(Like he's not flying right now.) ]

What form of transportation has taken over?

[ Cars. He bets anything it's trains and cars. Betting chroma on it! Ten chroma!

The sword stops a few centimeters above the ground, a light gust of wind sending dust and small stones skittering away as Shen Qingqiu brings them to a stop. He'd registered the tightened arms, guessing at the cause. Once he's brought them to a stop, he glances back and—yes, he's closed his eyes again. ]

This one has been idly walking around to understand the ways of this new city.

[ Meant to imply it doesn't put him out of his way to have explored it also from the air. He's not quite so motivated to have tested out his rental sword inside the city limits otherwise, but with no alarms raised, and nothing that felt like an array to notice, he guesses the things to worry about would be the Moon Knights. Does he need a license to fly in the city? Can he just get away with it because he's Moonblessed? Mysterious thoughts he can answer later on. ]

Seeing it from above brings another level of appreciation.

Cars, mostly, and trains for longer distances. And airplanes, for even longer ones. Nothing like this, though.

[Right in one, SQQ. At least he doesn't seem to mean anything by it! It's just gonna take some getting used to, is all. Learning how to speak to different cultures, and to not make assumptions based on his own world.

He does seem a little relieved that he didn't put the other man too far out of his way. If he was already walking around exploring, then maybe it's not too bad. Still, thanks are in order. His manners aren't that bad. Which means once he's off the sword, Todoroki's bowing to him, a polite gesture.]

That's a good idea. I think after this wears off, I'm going to go try the same, again.

Thank you again. I appreciate your help.

May it be before too much longer.

[ He says with a nod of his head once Todoroki straightens out of his bow. ]

You're welcome. Until our paths cross again...

[ ............................ did he really forget introductions, did this teenager really just jump on a sword with a guy who didn't even introduce himself, IS THIS A FAILURE OF HIS PROPRIETY ]

... Ah. I am called Shen Qingqiu.

[If it is, it's a failure on both counts, honestly. Todoroki just kind of...doesn't really think about things like introductions?? Maybe he should be better about this, it's kind of rude to just impose on a stranger like this without even asking their name. He seems to realize this all at once, bicolored eyes opening wide for once, then shifting off to one side as he nods, looking somewhat chagrined.]

Ah--Todoroki Shoto. Sorry, I should have said, earlier. Thank you, Shen-san.

[ Somehow the whole "I see through clothes" and "teenager distressed about seeing through clothes" things weighed heavier than an exchange of names. He'll have to forgive himself, considering he's not holding Todoroki Shoto responsible for the same lapse.

With a small upturn of his lips, and a moment of pause over the Japanese honorific that he doesn't actually know the nuances of himself, let alone as the man he appears to be. ]

It is equally this one's fault, Todoroki Shoto. You're welcome, and may your symptoms pass soon.

[ With a tip of his head forward, Shen Qingqiu takes his leave... feeling some pity for the poor teenager. He's respectful, but he can imagine how that same ability would be misused by more than a few disciples he can think of offhand. Thank goodness he doesn't have to worry about wrangling them all here. ]

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