Dinner Date

[devwocean]

Who: Jade Curtis and Orphaner Dualscar
Where: A nice seafood restaurant in the bubble
When: September 30th, evening
Style: I'm starting with prose but I'm fine with action if you prefer
Status: Closed

Dualscar slid into the booth and settled there, glancing around for his dinner date. He didn't know the man's face, of course, but he knew what his hair looked like. And he was quite certain that even with the mask off, it should be fairly easy for Jade to recognize him - if from the horns, if nothing else.

He didn't know what kind of expectation to have about this dinner, and was trying to keep himself calm. Of course, he wanted to impress Jade, but he didn't want to get too enthusiastic. That seemed to mess him up, every time. His earnestness and honesty kept backfiring.

Tonight was just a quiet dinner with a new acquaintance, as a bit of a break from tending to Signless. That's all.

Comments

Prose is just fine with me!

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade arrived and after a bit of searching, he recognized the horns and headed over. Definitely a change from the masquerade, Jade was simply dressed in a button-up and slacks. He slid in across from the troll and settled in easily, offering a smile in greeting.

"Pleased to see you again. I must admit, I'd thought the horns a part of the costume."

[devwocean]

Dualscar was wearing equally formal attire, though not exactly human modern normal. He wore a ruffled button-down shirt and a waistcoat, not that different in time-period from what he was wearing at the masquerade, but the waistcoat was purple, with his wiggly-lined symbol at the cuffs and running down his front.

He smiles in return, blinking brilliant purple eyes at Jade. "Are you fuckin' serious? You can't fake horns this attractivve." He chuckles. "But you kneww I wwasn't human, right?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade thought it was interesting, and spoke a good deal about the other. At his words, Jade smirked lightly.

"Well, I do suppose that's true." He just wasn't sure what the troll was, exactly. He couldn't say there was anyone like him on Auldrant.

"If you don't mind my asking what you are." He was so used to calling Peony His Majesty, calling Dualscar such seemed odd.

[devwocean]

"I'm called a troll," Dualscar says, not offended by the question, but a bit bemused. "There's a wwhole school of us here, actually. But I suppose humans are still the gold standard a this place."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"We pull from so many worlds and yet humans are still the most dominant race, oddly."

Jade shifted and rested his arms in his lap, settled in fully for the evening.

"I'm interested; how similar are you to humans?"

[devwocean]

He opens the menu, but looks at it perfunctorily, scanning the items briefly before closing it again and looking up.

"To be honest, I'vve no fuckin' clue. I'm told that our concepts a romance are pretty different, though I'm also told there's enough similarities that it can wwork. Biologically speakin' there's obvvious differences, but I don't knoww howw far they go. You're the first human I'vve talked to at any real length."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Romance and biology? One of those Jade was adept at. The other, Jade was blind as a deaf bat in a gerbil ball rolling down the stairs. Regardless of which was which, Jade figured he'd use this as a chance to let his curiosity roam.

"How does the romance differ?" It was easier than asking about biology. If that was the case, he would have had to ask to dissect one, and he was sure his highness wouldn't appreciate that request.

[devwocean]

That's all right, Dualscar isn't terribly adept with either.

"Wwell..." Dualscar rests his chin on his hand, considering the human. "It's hard for me to say for sure, as I don't exactly knoww wwhat human romance is like. But I can tell you that trolls havve four types. Twwo are based on pity, an twwo on hate."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"That's odd. There's types of romance for humans, but most are based on love and mutual affection."

It was odd, hearing the idea of romance based on pity or hate. He went ahead and looked over Dualscar, getting a good idea of what physically made a troll.

[devwocean]

Hey, Jade is checking him out. That's nice. As trolls go, he's a pretty impressive specimen, after all. Scarred from battle, and nearly seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and powerful. And of course, he's got fins on his face, which prick up and fan out as he inwardly preens under the attention, showing the purple webbing between the spines.

"An do all a the types of romance havve to do wwith matin' fondness?" he asks curiously. "Or do you havve more conciliatory romance as wwell?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade has to admit, the Troll is rather interesting. Much like a being from a fictional book. Jade gave him another once-over before he returned to the conversation.

"For the most part, yes. As for conciliatory, that's more of a phase, I believe." If he meant it in the sense Jade thought he did.

[devwocean]

"A phase?" He cocks his head, curious. "Wwell wwe'vve got a wwhole person to keep us stable. It's necessary, as trolls are vviolent, as a race. Moreso than humans. So basically you havve all kinds a different romance, only it's all fulfilled by the same person at different times instead a bein' invvolvved romatically wwith more than one person at once?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"In a sense, it depends on the person. One could be monogamous or polyamorous." Jade thought a moment on what the royal had said.

"Are trolls capable of feeling the full spectrum of emotions?"

[devwocean]

Dualscar considers that. The words just don't exist in troll society, but he can get the gist from contest. He frowns slightly at the question, though.

"Wwhich spectrum is that?"

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"Love, hate, despondence, confidence, happiness, sadness, longing, desire, mischievousness, anger..." Jade counted them off idly, finally picking up the menu to browse it briefly. It didn't take long for him to decide and the menu was set back down soon enough.

"Any kind that can come to mind, really."

[devwocean]

"Wwell if wwe didn't havve somethin', I wwouldn't exactly knoww it, wwould I?" Dualscar snorts faintly. "For all you knoww, humans are limited in emotion in comparison to trolls, wwhich is somethin' I'd imagine is true, on account a your limited concept of romance. But all a those sound familiar."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"I can't learn anything if I don't ask questions." Jade seemed tickled by Orphaner's response, smirking at him.

"As plentiful as we are, humans do seem most feeble by comparison."

[devwocean]

"I don't mind the questions," Dualscar says, shrugging. "I'm just pointin' out the simple fact that it might not be the kind a question I could answwer. An you're quite right about that, but I wwon't hold it against you."

The fact that trolls are the most superior race in existence is basically just something he takes as read.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade seemed quite fine with that, "Though it does make me wonder what trolls are capable in comparison to a human. As curious as I am about the biology, I imagine a vivisection isn't quite a welcome idea."

Jade wondered if this was what the troll was expecting when he asked Jade to dinner. However, that didn't phase him more than a brief time.

[devwocean]

The server arrives at their table and Dualscar orders his dish, along with a nice white wine. "Are you a scienterrorist, then?" he asks as the server leaves with their orders. "I wwouldn't submit to a vvivvisection, a course. Too bad there's no lowwblood slavves around for me to offer." Oops, that might have been a joke. He's smiling like it is.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Jade orders his own meal and a dry red wine before he looks back to the troll with a bemused expression.

"A scienterrorist? It's certainly a new one." He waved a hand lightly, still smiling as the other spoke.

"I'm sure some day I'll find my opportunity. There certainly doesn't seem to be a shortage of things to learn in the meantime."

[devwocean]

"So if not a scienterrorist, then wwhat?" Dualscar asks, noting that Jade ducked the question. "I'm sure you're not normally a bartender."

He smiles faintly. "Just so long as you don't cull anyone I count as my owwn."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"I'm a soldier." Simple enough answer and simple enough job when he wasn't babysitting the emperor.

At the added comment, Jade chuckled, "You'll have to enlighten me as to which ones are yours, then."

[devwocean]

"Wwell, that's somethin' wwe'vve got in common," Dualscar says with a smirk. "But you'vve got an interest in biology? Is it a hobby, then?"

He considers that. "All of 'em. Except you can havve the Grand Highblood Subjugglator. An feel free to make his death extra sloww."

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

"Oh? Do tell." Jade's always interested in other soldiers about. "I suppose you could say it's an ongoing interest."

As he listens, Jade can't help but chuckle at the offering. "I'll keep it in mind if I run into him."