riverviewlogs | [april catch-all]

I mean, there is always blood, everyone's got that. [Taako looks serious for all of two seconds before he grins.] Nah, I'm fucking with you, I'm just here cause she did me a favor, figured I should make sure we're even.

[Sometimes that's important with spirits, before they decide that they're owed something.]

Mm, yeah, I'm not overly inclined to share that. [ He's not crazy. Nor a Klingon. Thank you very much.

He raises an eyebrow, curious at the last bit of information. ] What did she do for you?

Answered some questions, maybe helped me out with a tricky spell. Hard to say how much was her and how much was me being my usual awesome self, so I'm covering my bases.

[He's so full of it.]

Sure. Better safe than sorry.

[ Well not like Jim knows enough about magic (more like nothing) to know one way or the other. Doesn't sound entirely legit, but at least he takes one thing away from all that. ]

So you can do magic or something?

Or something.

[Taako clicks his fingers and casts prestidigitation, creating a shower of sparks. It's the easiest spell he knows, but it tends to get the point across.]

Lemme guess, you're from Earth and there's no magic?

[Jim looks human, so he's drawing some conclusions.]

[ Yep, it definitely gets the point across. Although after what he's seen in this place so far, it doesn't draw much of a shocked reaction out of him, just a hint of surprise and awe. It's still pretty amazing to him that magic really does exist. ]

Two for two. I mean, there's no magic that I know of at least, but it's a big universe. One can never know for sure.

[ But yes, he's more science-oriented, even if he does keep an open mind. ]

I'm gonna go on a limb here and say you've only heard of Earth since you got here?

[Wait until he turns into a dinosaur.]

A-yup, I'm from a planet called Toril, not that I've seen a whole lot of it outside of Faerûn, unless you count a couple peeks into the astral plane.

[He gives the explanation without prompting, since most people tend to ask once they determine he's not from Earth or a variant of it.]

[ Okay, that would be seriously awesome. ]

Can't say I've ever heard of it. Sorry. [ He does appreciate being told, though, since he would have definitely asked. ] I'm headed to the abandoned city— thought I'd take a look around. Want to come with? I'd like to hear more about your world, if you feel like sharing.

It's cool, my dude, no one has.

[Mostly it doesn't bother him; sometimes it gets a bit lonely, but "lonely" is a well-worn jacket, for him.]

And hell yeah, I'll come for a poke around, maybe there's some cool shit to loot. [Taako no.] You just gotta tell me something at least a little bit cool about Earth in return, so far it sounds boring as hell.

[Clark is cool because he's an alien from Earth, and that's about it.]

[ Um, Taako yes? What do you think Jim's gonna do if he finds some sweet piece of tech or an old relic, just leave it there? Yeah, no. Also he's pretty sure bringing back anything relevant is also part of his job. ]

Alright, well— my Earth has tens of different alien species living there, these days. We don't have currency— major difference from here. We've got these machines that can just materialize whatever it is we need or want. Does that count?

[ Kind of hard for him to know what counts as cool for Taako, as he has very little idea of what kind of world he comes from. ]

[Taako grabs the umbra staff from its spot on the branch, hefts his pack back onto his shoulders and starts forward, assuming Jim will keep up.

As for whether that counts as cool, alien species actually gets a little fist pump from him.]

Yes! Thank god, finally somewhere with a little fucking variety. What are the aliens like? Can they do cool shit?

[ Jim's already stepping after Taako once he grabs his staff, shifting his own backpack so it sits comfortably and he can move fast and unhindered. ]

Well, some aliens can do cool shit. Then again, so can some humans. Or do you mean, like— powers and the sort?

Liiike do they have eyes in weird places or, uh, hm. [Give him a second to consider this, because "aliens" aren't really a big trope in Fearun's literature but he's watched some sci-fi in Riverview.] Wait, shit, have you met any with tentacles?

[ :DDDDD ]

[ Jim has to snort and laugh at that, shaking his head a little. ]

Yes, actually. But they weren't exactly humanoid so I'm not sure if that counts. [ He looks thoughtful for a moment. ] I have met some with antennae, though. Oh, and cat ears. There was also this pair of twins with really, really nimble tails... [ Jim, focus. ]

[It totally counts, though he wonders if maybe when he casts his tentacle spell it's summoning them from some alien planet. That'd be awkward.

The tails makes him laugh, though.]

If any dragonborn or tieflings show up I'll have to introduce you, they've got the whole tail thing going on.

[ Yep, talk about weird. For what it's worth Jim hasn't ever heard of tentacle species vanishing into thin air or getting swept up by some interdimensional portal, so there's that. ]

Oh, really? Well, they sure sound interesting, at least. [ Not that he has some tail kink. Or does he. ] Hopefully they're as friendly as the Caitian twins. [ Well okay, maybe not as friendly. ]

Shame the only dragonborn I know personally is gay as hell, you're shit outta luck if she shows up.

[He's not even sure if Carey's tail is flexible enough to be useful in that kinda way.]

Not that people from my world are all that popular with the portal, I think it knows it got the best possible option already so it doesn't gotta bother grabbing anyone else.

[He's joking. Mostly.]

[ Jim pauses a moment, then shrugs lightly, smiling. ]

No great loss. I've got my hands full anyway.

[ Not that Jim was ever the kind to settle down and be that committed to one person, but that was then. This is now. ]

Oh, has it? [ He raises an eyebrow, lips quirking into an amused grin. ] Not one for modesty, are you?

I mean, I'm Taako, like, from TV.

[He puts a hand to his chest with a little flourish, as if that means anything in an alternate universe.]

Who needs modesty when you're rad as hell?

Yes, and I'm Captain James T. Kirk, but I figure that means nothing to you either.

[ AKA he knows all about fame. He has to agree it is a pretty nice feeling sometimes, but these days he's a little more tired of it all. ]

I've never been one for false modesty, though, so I'll give you that. But I'll hold on forming an opinion until I see just how "rad" you are. [ Air quotes and all. ]

Means you're a captain, that's always useful information to have.

[He's assuming space travel of some kind, since aliens were mentioned, and in like a month that won't be as impressive as it is now.]

You haven't realized it already? I'm hurt, my dude. Wounded.

[At the end of the day, his self-importance is mostly bluster, played up because it's familiar, but it's also easy. This is just how he rolls.]

[ That's true, but not what Jim meant. Only that Taako might be famous where he comes from, but not in Jim's own reality. For all he knows Taako might not even exist at all in his universe, nor Jim in Taako's own.

Also space travel is always impressive, how dare he. ]

It usually takes me longer than fifteen minutes to to work that out. Sorry if you're used to making that good of a first impression. [ Like you can talk, Jim. ]

[It's less impressive when you've kinda done it yourself.]

I'll be honest, usually by now people have either decided they wanna murder me or we're gonna be best friends.

[Surprisingly a lot go in the murder column, except it's not that surprising.

He's a lot nicer when he doesn't have Magnus hovering over his shoulder to help him out if shit goes south.]

[ It still is pretty impressive to Jim and he's been at it for a few years now. Taako must be doing it wrong, clearly. ]

For what it's worth, I'm not feeling particularly murderous right now.

[ Wouldn't go so far as to say he's leaning towards the 'best friend' spectrum, either. He figures what Taako means, though. ]

You're not a very middle-ground kinda guy, are you?

[hollow laughter.mp3]

Middle-ground is kinda boring, don't you think? I'd rather be memorable one way or another.

[Even if that means being a bit of a shithead sometimes (a lot of the time).]

But you know, good to know we're not gonna have to throw down.

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