[Liem would not describe himself as especially enthralled by liquor. Perhaps slightly more so by shopping, but—as mentioned—he is currently a little strapped for funds. And that brings him full circle back to getting to know the neighbours. Well… there are worse problems to have, he supposes.
He pauses for a brief moment, blinking, when Constantin darts ahead and gestures grandly at the surroundings. What an odd, excitable man. Hopefully he doesn’t bump into any oncoming pedestrians or mailboxes or the like, turning around like that mid-stride.]
Ah, well the availability of luxury goods does seem quite widespread. I suppose I am interested to know how a city this large is maintained.
[Particularly located in the middle of a desert as this city is, and floating half a mile above the surface of the planet, no less. Even with a robust trade economy, he’d expect a certain level of domestic production would be necessary for goods that are less convenient to transport. Liem, please don’t keep talking about this stuff oh no here he goes.]
Just the waste management aspect alone is miles ahead of any city I’ve yet been in. You’ve noticed how pristine this place is, aside from the damage? And yet there must be hundreds of thousands of people living here, if not more.
[He's spunky, thank you. If he weren't skinny he could try boisterous, but alas. He is at least practiced at doing this backwards wandering thing, mostly because kind souls keep an extra eye out behind him just in case a collision is imminent. Ahem.
So, until then.]
Marvel upon marvel, [he... agrees? About... waste management?] I do believe the mechanisms are all underground! As it were.
[Underground in the sky. Anyway, plumbing, huh! And trash disposal, wow! This, too, is a novelty, genuinely— but the fact that Liem is more interested in waste management than luxury goods is so ridiculous; sir, that's nerdy.]
You aren't only interested in waste management, are you? I could walk you back to the endless mountains of garbage instead of to the nearest café, if you like.
[Constantin should definitely add cheeky to that list of descriptors. Liem rolls his eyes a little, making a face that says “You’re being ridiculous,” as though Constantin’s sass isn’t 100% justified.]
I will respectfully decline.
[Excuse you, sir—waste management is an extremely important aspect of any city and a completely normal thing to be interested in. That does not mean he enjoys pawing around in the garbage.]
I happen to have many other interests that don’t involve garbage in the slightest, and at the moment I would say finding somewhere quiet to get a drink is chief among them.
[Constantin shrugs, but even the eye rolling can't temper his pleased little grin; this counts as a victory for cheekiness, he thinks, so obviously he's well within his rights to be openly amused. Besides, when one finds a man hauling trash, and then he starts talking about waste management...]
What is it they say about ducks?
[Anyway, never mind!! To emphasize how much they are never minding his sass, he pivots back around to face forward, standing up on his toes briefly to squint further down the street. He knows where the nearest cafe is, so it only makes sense to know 100 yards away if there is a considerable line.
In the meantime,] Our quiet drink is just ahead. So— tell me about your many other interests.
[Liem is beginning to suspect that their drink will not, in fact, be especially quiet, given this man’s rather animated and loquacious manner. Perhaps he will become slightly more reserved once they are indoors? But no matter—at least the man isn’t made of rocks and inclined to fawn over him as though he were a visiting dignitary. Any port in a storm, as they say.]
Well, I’ve something of an interest in history. There are also a number of theatres and opera houses in my home city, which I have visited a few times.
[He’s trying his best to name things that aren’t directly related to his job, which seems like it would be going against the spirit of the inquiry. Make no mistake, though—he is interested in his work. He’d have to be, to still be doing the same thing after decades of service.]
I suppose now would be a good time for me to properly introduce myself, as well. I’m Liem Talbott.
[Obviously, the "quiet" part of the experience doesn't include Constantin himself; he's outside that calculation. He can, however, behave indoors, so that's going to have to do. And it's true: he was definitely going to bring back the sass if he heard work stuff again, so good call.]
A patron of the arts! [who mucks around in the trash] You know, I've no idea if there exists an opera house in this city, but surely...
[A gesture around, like, surely? The city is, indeed, so huge? But besides the occasional street performers, he hasn't sought out any of the fancier forms of entertainment. Sitting still through an entire opera is not really his thing.]
Well, that aside— my name is Constantin. If I hear about any theatres, I shall send you the address.
[On the phone. Liem, please know how to use a phone. He can't teach this.]
[Receiving a text-based message seems like a level of functionality Liem should be able to get out of his phone. The gems made it fairly clear that his money wouldn’t be good here, and that he would need to use his phone to access their “banking application.” Such a strange, newfangled innovation… this world is truly full of marvels. But yes, he’s ready to tackle digital technology. Just wait until he discovers spreadsheet applications.]
Much obliged, good sir. [What would gem theatre be like? He supposes it would be an interesting window into their culture, should a theatre or opera house turn out to actually exist in this city.] Are you fond of the arts, at all?
[This topic is a much more comfortable one than the issue of their predicament stranded on a strange world. Liem actually seems, if anything, slightly hopeful that the answer will be “yes.” Practically everyone from his country cares about the arts to at least some degree, so the topic is a familiar one to him. Please let him have this one thing.]
Well— my city is sorely derived of a theatre, actually... I've been unable to patronize any performances for a while now.
[Which is a roundabout way of getting around saying "ehhhh," he figures. How could he shoot that one small hope down out of the sky so ruthlessly? No, that would be too cruel.
And it's true, at least, that New Serene is fairly devoid of entertainment beyond what's in the tavern and its disreputable cellar. Theatres, in such a small, fledgling city? Not yet!]
Perhaps one day we'll have a proper district of the arts! But until then...
[There are no theatres at all where he comes from? That’s so tragic. He didn’t take Constantin for someone who had come from some uncultured little backwater town… No, that is too harsh. Not every city can be a bustling centre for the arts. But still, very sad for him.]
Ah… Then I will be sure to keep a sharp eye out for one as well, so that you may end your theatre drought.
[Did he actually mistake something Constantin said for genuine enthusiasm for such an outing? No. At this point, however, it’s more for his own good than anything else. Life cannot be entirely drinking and schmoozing in a floating paradise city. It is the least he can do as a good samaritan to at least point this man in the right direction, if he can.]
What are your interests, then? When you are not helpfully assisting strangers in need.
[Oh, has he committed to going to the alien theatre... That's alright, he supposes; it's not going to yet another bar, so it will have to do. Maybe a world where magic is this common will have appropriately magical theatre performances? One can only hope.
That said: what's a hobby! He has been unfettered by his real job for mere weeks. It's drinking in neon bars, isn't it. Horrible.]
I... have a tragically unrealized passion for exploration, I suppose. This place is quite the pinnacle of adventuring abroad.
[Except they aren't really welcome to do things besides shop and touch hands, huh! The mountain adventure was fun, at least.]
[Constantin, sir… that is not a real hobby. Especially if it’s “unrealized.” Please find something to do that isn’t touring this city’s many tacky bars.]
Is that so? Well, I suppose this circumstance makes for an ideal opportunity to explore new areas of interest.
[That is to say: perhaps while you are exploring the city, you will find a hobby as well. Now that they all have so much free time, he could take up… sports? Or poetry. Or, um… whittling! Liem is just concerned about the results of a lifestyle spent entirely roaming the city in search of novel things to do. That much freedom cannot possibly be good for one’s well being. ]
[And unsolicited, at that! But it's fine; he appreciates a little helpful nudge every now and then, if it comes from a place of at least a little genuine concern. Is he guessing? Sure, a bit, but Liem seems like an upright gentleman who wouldn't just roast a near stranger on the street.
Like, who would do that? Just sass strangers? Unthinkable. Anyway.]
At home, I am a governor! I suppose most of what I do is paperwork and talking to diplomats. It has its moments.
[Liem’s answer to Constantin’s observation is simply a mild look. It might be advice and sass. It can be both things. Giving advice is a non-trivial part of his job, usually. The sass… less so. That’s more like the tax that comes attached for making use of his services outside of work hours.]
That’s a lofty position. I can’t imagine many people have asked your assistance with something as trivial as hauling things into the garbage.
[So… oops? Sorry for probably being the first. He coughs gently, suddenly regretting his own audacity. If Liem had known, he probably would have just let the garbage can fall on him instead.]
[Sassing him and then being awkward about the trash thing is going to send mixed messages, sir! Constantin laughs, giving him a hardy pat on the shoulder, except not really all that hardy because his ill-timed superstrength has already left him, again. One day he'll figure it out.
Anyway: bud, please.]
And? I am only the governor in my own home! What do you do? Surely not a trash collector in your own world?
[Considering he lost the battle against one can...]
[Well now he’s embarrassed and confused. Liem has never encountered a governor who wasn’t obsessed with their own status. In fact, he could probably say the same for any member of Taldor’s nobility—perhaps with the sole exception of its princess. But then, it has already been established that the city Constantin hails from is not very much like Liem’s home at all.]
No.
[Of course he’s not a trash collector. Is this how garbage men dress where Constantin comes from? This one day of community service has netted him more sass than it has peace of mind.]
I’m a priest.
[He’s a priest in a city where he’s free to explore anywhere but the local temples. Somewhere, the gods of this world are having a good chuckle at his expense.]
[That's how he keeps 'em guessing, Liem. It makes perfect sense to Constantin; why, actually, should he toss around his myriad titles in a place where they mean nothing at all? It isn't as if they've done much for him before.
Anyway, maybe garbage men are fussy little guys in some places... it could happen.]
Oh! Really! I don't meet many proper men of faith doing my paperwork, [and also because his country straddles the line between abiding by the local faith and not, for Neutrality Reasons, but still,] so you must tell me all about it.
[Maybe not all. Maybe just some. But do it over a semi-quiet drink in this cafe that they've finally reached, while Constantin asks very many polite questions...]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
—Constantin
[Liem would not describe himself as especially enthralled by liquor. Perhaps slightly more so by shopping, but—as mentioned—he is currently a little strapped for funds. And that brings him full circle back to getting to know the neighbours. Well… there are worse problems to have, he supposes.
He pauses for a brief moment, blinking, when Constantin darts ahead and gestures grandly at the surroundings. What an odd, excitable man. Hopefully he doesn’t bump into any oncoming pedestrians or mailboxes or the like, turning around like that mid-stride.]
Ah, well the availability of luxury goods does seem quite widespread. I suppose I am interested to know how a city this large is maintained.
[Particularly located in the middle of a desert as this city is, and floating half a mile above the surface of the planet, no less. Even with a robust trade economy, he’d expect a certain level of domestic production would be necessary for goods that are less convenient to transport. Liem, please don’t keep talking about this stuff oh no here he goes.]
Just the waste management aspect alone is miles ahead of any city I’ve yet been in. You’ve noticed how pristine this place is, aside from the damage? And yet there must be hundreds of thousands of people living here, if not more.
no subject
So, until then.]
Marvel upon marvel, [he... agrees? About... waste management?] I do believe the mechanisms are all underground! As it were.
[Underground in the sky. Anyway, plumbing, huh! And trash disposal, wow! This, too, is a novelty, genuinely— but the fact that Liem is more interested in waste management than luxury goods is so ridiculous; sir, that's nerdy.]
You aren't only interested in waste management, are you? I could walk you back to the endless mountains of garbage instead of to the nearest café, if you like.
[lol.....]
no subject
I will respectfully decline.
[Excuse you, sir—waste management is an extremely important aspect of any city and a completely normal thing to be interested in. That does not mean he enjoys pawing around in the garbage.]
I happen to have many other interests that don’t involve garbage in the slightest, and at the moment I would say finding somewhere quiet to get a drink is chief among them.
no subject
What is it they say about ducks?
[Anyway, never mind!! To emphasize how much they are never minding his sass, he pivots back around to face forward, standing up on his toes briefly to squint further down the street. He knows where the nearest cafe is, so it only makes sense to know 100 yards away if there is a considerable line.
In the meantime,] Our quiet drink is just ahead. So— tell me about your many other interests.
no subject
Well, I’ve something of an interest in history. There are also a number of theatres and opera houses in my home city, which I have visited a few times.
[He’s trying his best to name things that aren’t directly related to his job, which seems like it would be going against the spirit of the inquiry. Make no mistake, though—he is interested in his work. He’d have to be, to still be doing the same thing after decades of service.]
I suppose now would be a good time for me to properly introduce myself, as well. I’m Liem Talbott.
no subject
A patron of the arts! [who mucks around in the trash] You know, I've no idea if there exists an opera house in this city, but surely...
[A gesture around, like, surely? The city is, indeed, so huge? But besides the occasional street performers, he hasn't sought out any of the fancier forms of entertainment. Sitting still through an entire opera is not really his thing.]
Well, that aside— my name is Constantin. If I hear about any theatres, I shall send you the address.
[On the phone. Liem, please know how to use a phone. He can't teach this.]
no subject
Much obliged, good sir. [What would gem theatre be like? He supposes it would be an interesting window into their culture, should a theatre or opera house turn out to actually exist in this city.] Are you fond of the arts, at all?
[This topic is a much more comfortable one than the issue of their predicament stranded on a strange world. Liem actually seems, if anything, slightly hopeful that the answer will be “yes.” Practically everyone from his country cares about the arts to at least some degree, so the topic is a familiar one to him. Please let him have this one thing.]
no subject
[Which is a roundabout way of getting around saying "ehhhh," he figures. How could he shoot that one small hope down out of the sky so ruthlessly? No, that would be too cruel.
And it's true, at least, that New Serene is fairly devoid of entertainment beyond what's in the tavern and its disreputable cellar. Theatres, in such a small, fledgling city? Not yet!]
Perhaps one day we'll have a proper district of the arts! But until then...
[He gestures, like, well— nope!!]
no subject
Ah… Then I will be sure to keep a sharp eye out for one as well, so that you may end your theatre drought.
[Did he actually mistake something Constantin said for genuine enthusiasm for such an outing? No. At this point, however, it’s more for his own good than anything else. Life cannot be entirely drinking and schmoozing in a floating paradise city. It is the least he can do as a good samaritan to at least point this man in the right direction, if he can.]
What are your interests, then? When you are not helpfully assisting strangers in need.
no subject
That said: what's a hobby! He has been unfettered by his real job for mere weeks. It's drinking in neon bars, isn't it. Horrible.]
I... have a tragically unrealized passion for exploration, I suppose. This place is quite the pinnacle of adventuring abroad.
[Except they aren't really welcome to do things besides shop and touch hands, huh! The mountain adventure was fun, at least.]
no subject
Is that so? Well, I suppose this circumstance makes for an ideal opportunity to explore new areas of interest.
[That is to say: perhaps while you are exploring the city, you will find a hobby as well. Now that they all have so much free time, he could take up… sports? Or poetry. Or, um… whittling! Liem is just concerned about the results of a lifestyle spent entirely roaming the city in search of novel things to do. That much freedom cannot possibly be good for one’s well being. ]
What was it that you did before arriving here?
no subject
[And unsolicited, at that! But it's fine; he appreciates a little helpful nudge every now and then, if it comes from a place of at least a little genuine concern. Is he guessing? Sure, a bit, but Liem seems like an upright gentleman who wouldn't just roast a near stranger on the street.
Like, who would do that? Just sass strangers? Unthinkable. Anyway.]
At home, I am a governor! I suppose most of what I do is paperwork and talking to diplomats. It has its moments.
no subject
That’s a lofty position. I can’t imagine many people have asked your assistance with something as trivial as hauling things into the garbage.
[So… oops? Sorry for probably being the first. He coughs gently, suddenly regretting his own audacity. If Liem had known, he probably would have just let the garbage can fall on him instead.]
no subject
Anyway: bud, please.]
And? I am only the governor in my own home! What do you do? Surely not a trash collector in your own world?
[Considering he lost the battle against one can...]
no subject
No.
[Of course he’s not a trash collector. Is this how garbage men dress where Constantin comes from? This one day of community service has netted him more sass than it has peace of mind.]
I’m a priest.
[He’s a priest in a city where he’s free to explore anywhere but the local temples. Somewhere, the gods of this world are having a good chuckle at his expense.]
no subject
Anyway, maybe garbage men are fussy little guys in some places... it could happen.]
Oh! Really! I don't meet many proper men of faith doing my paperwork, [and also because his country straddles the line between abiding by the local faith and not, for Neutrality Reasons, but still,] so you must tell me all about it.
[Maybe not all. Maybe just some. But do it over a semi-quiet drink in this cafe that they've finally reached, while Constantin asks very many polite questions...]