audio;

[stubble]

[ It's late at night when Cullen makes the post, the time of night when people would probably text something like this. But typing on the phone is still too much of an unnatural struggle for him to default to it.

He sounds relatively normal. Maybe just a tiny bit tired. ]

What is it you do when you cannot sleep and there is no work to be done to better utilize the hours you spend awake?

[ There's a tiny pause. ]

I am no stranger to sleepless nights, yet in coming here, I've now naught to do with mine.

Comments

[tridentity]

Wait really?? Make sure to grab a jacket and bundle up then cause it gets freezing near the beach I've heard.

[That's not first hand experience or anything...]

What's a mabari?

[stubble]

I thank you for the advice. A mabari is a warhound from my homeland. Mine is... Ah, a moment.

[ And it is only a moment before the video flicks on, displaying the sleeping image of a large dog sprawled out on the floor. ]

That is him.

[tridentity]

[She's just going to switch from text to video now even though it's just a display of her dimly-lit face. The picture of the mabari excites her a bit too much considering she was only partially awake.]

A dog--? Is that a dog!? You were able to bring one here?!

[Since when can you bring dogs here!!]

[stubble]

Yes.

[ He smiles, because that's the kind of enthusiasm a person ought to have for a dog. ]

He was with me in my world and when I arrived in this one, he remained at my side.

[tridentity]

You're so lucky!! Man, I wish I could have brought along Josephine...

[Which happens to be a messenger pigeon and not necessarily hers but it would've been nice to have a penpal here too.]

Does he... she... have a name?

[stubble]

You've an animal named Josephine?

[ He smiles widely at that. ]

He does, yes. It's ah, it's Pup.

[ Not the most original, he knows, but he's Fereldan. This is the best he can do. ]

[tridentity]

Yeah!! She's a messenger pigeon for my penpal! I can draw a picture if you want!

[She takes that smile as some sort of interest on what it looks like so she would actually get up and find something if he says yes.]

--Did you come up with the name yourself or one of your family members?

[SHE'S DISAPPOINTED, she was expecting something amazing like... Excalibur or something.]

[stubble]

[ Cullen is a pathetic disgrace when it comes to creative names. ]

I did. I'm afraid I'm not especially skilled at naming conventions. Though I would enjoy seeing a drawing of your Josephine. If you don't mind making one, that is.

[tridentity]

[She'll get back to that dog name later. For now, she's focused on the pigeon drawing.]

Of course not! Everyone should see what Josephine looks like!

[And so she leaves her phone alone for a minute to turn on a light and look for some paper. Once a piece of paper and pencil is found, she grabs her phone and points the camera to the paper as she doodles. This is the finished product after a few minute of drawing.]

I'm not an artist so I can't capture her beauty that well, but this should be close enough! Can you see how pretty she is?!

[Like look at those eyelashes, it's evident that the pigeon is a girl!]

[stubble]

[ To be fair, that's better than Cullen could ever do. He can draw maps and terrain and construction plans for trebuchets, but ask him to draw a living thing and it'll just be a mess. ]

My lady, your drawing is a damn sight better than anything I could do. It's a pity she is not here to meet her in person. I would enjoy that.

1/3 im sorry

[tridentity]

[???

Mafuyu visibly turns around to check if there was a lady behind her like in those horror films, but there's no one there?

...

Or--could it be--he actually called her a lady?]

2/3

[tridentity]

[Sorry, Cullen, this may seem like an overreaction to the word, but she's just going to take a moment to revel in that because NO ONE EVER CALLS HER THAT.... She's been called prince, idiot, banchou, etc. so that's... a first.

Plus, her image of a lady is one of proper origin which she never fit the criteria of.]

done

[tridentity]

[Okay... She should be fine now.]

Mister, your words are too kind!! If she ever arrives here, I'll be sure to contact you first!

[stubble]

[ There are more "my ladies" where that one came from!

He's noticed that people in this world seem not to have been taught proper courtesy, so it isn't terribly surprising that she reacts as if he might be speaking to someone else. He waits patiently, smiling a little. Honestly, perhaps if the people of this world worried less about technology and machines and more about personal interaction, they would be better off.

Yeah, he's judging the modern era hard. ]

Cullen, my lady. My name is Cullen Rutherford. And should she arrive, I shall greet her fondly.

[tridentity]

[Don't do it, Cullen. This politeness is too much for her!!

She laughs, a wide grin spreading across her features. The one person she talks to about Josephine, other than her penpal, always seems to dismiss it since her letters are pretty dumb. It's such a nice change of pace to hear someone actually show some sort of interest to it.]

She'd really appreciate that! And it's nice to meet you, Cullen-san! My name is Mafuyu Kurosaki, but Mafuyu is just fine!

[stubble]

[ He runs that silently through his mind a few times before repeating it, not wanting to cause offense by mispronouncing it. ]

Mafuyu, then. It is a pleasure to meet you. [ A half-smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. ] Should you ever wish to meet Pup in person, I would be happy to arrange it.

[tridentity]

Really!?

[First being called a lady and now this? Does that mean their friends?! This is like one of the best days.

Though she still needs to talk about that name later.]

You're not pulling my leg, are you?!

[stubble]

[ Cullen automatically glances down and sees what he already knows: he has his hands on no legs, his or otherwise. The phrase is new but he thinks that given her surprise, he can get its meaning from context. ]

Yes. I do indeed mean it.

[tridentity]

[She finds the way he phrased it bizarre, but she doesn't dwell on it for very long after his words register and she tosses her arms in the air.]

Yay, I can't wait!

What town do you happen to stay in, by the way?

[stubble]

Heropa. It's located in the kingdom of Florida.

[ What are states? He just doesn't know. ]

[tridentity]

[That's... the first time she heard it as a kingdom; she thought it was a state? Well, he's an adult so he probably knows better than her. Hopefully she never gets a question asking what Florida is in school.]

Oh, that's the same area as me! Are you in the government housing too?

[stubble]

I am uncertain. Upon my arrival here I was given housing, though there is naught but me here. I've heard that others have others living in their houses with them.

[ Living alone is a small mercy. He would not have wished for housemates. ]

[tridentity]

[Mafuyu goes through a range of emotions -- first sadness due to thinking of how lonely he could get (since that's how she felt when she lived alone). Then happy because she remembers that he has the mabari with him and he keeps him company. And lastly she's just surprised:]

Wait--if you're living alone... does that mean you know how to cook?!

[Obviously that is the most important thing.]

[stubble]

Yes. I'm quite self-sufficient.

[ He also isn't a liar, so he adds; ]

However, I do take most of my meals in the various taverns in town. The method this world uses to cook is vastly unlike my own and I am not yet adept at it.

[tridentity]

Well, you're better than me, at least.

[She's failed cooking cup ramen of all things.]

What kind of methods do you use to cook in your world? You don't have microwaves or stoves?