"Ah," he replies, a knowing smile curving across his lips. "People who ask me when I'm from don't use swords anymore, do they?" He shakes his head, once again trying to imagine these strange "guns" they have. Little tiny bows and arrows, he's been told.
"I come from the country of Castellari, on the continent of Belator. Neither of which probably sound familiar to you. And since you didn't ask, my name is Julian De Abbrixio." He paused to sweep a bow towards the man.
"It's--" It actually makes him stop and think, for a moment. Swords aren't necessarily out of style, but it's seen as more of a collector's item among particular connoisseurs rather than an actual weapon to be used on battlefields. Everything is so automated where he's from - human lives are only slightly less expendable than manufactured drones and machines, nations choosing to flex their technology skills than their strongest warriors. To prove his point, he raises a metal hand, waggling his sleek black metal fingers as he answers. "... a little outdated, I suppose."
Oswin tries to pinpoint a nationality for the names given, but his head's a mess still from the sudden arrival, sudden attack, sudden rescuer. Even the bow has him wondering if this is really happening, if he's not having one utterly ridiculous dreamland adventure. The outfit, the sword, the name, and now bowing in introduction? He's more used to handshakes, but it seems out of place here, somehow.
"Ah--" Idiot, the guy saves your ass and you don't even ask his name or say thanks. Berating himself, Oswin tries his ... best approximation of a formal half-bow in return, but it's awkward on shaky legs and fading adrenaline. "Sorry-- sorry. I'm, uh ... I'm Dr. Oswin Fields, from- from California, I guess. I'm ... doubting that's a familiar place to you, since I've never heard of Castellari, either." Are they even from the same planet? Interplanetary travel was starting to become more common back home, but ... but thinking about it too much is making his headache worse.
"It's ... it's nice to meet you, Julian. Circumstances notwithstanding."
[ ooc: hey!! just wanted to say sorry for the lateness, my brain's been all over the place past while but i'm going to do my best to keep up a better tagging schedule from now on! ]
"Mm, it's quite common for us to be from all over. Incredible too. I want to hear all about this 'Californa.'" Close, but not quite there. Yet the place must be amazing if it can give men metal hands like that. He knows of armor and heavy gauntlets, but this very much looks to be a part of the man.
"Yes, the circumstances are certainly one interesting way to meet people, isn't it? Worry not; those pests cannot fly into the city. Something at the gate stops them, though I have no idea what. No one here does. If the original inhabitants hadn't all disappeared, we could ask them."
It's strange being from one of the more populous and well known states in the country, and to hear someone else say it's unheard of to them. It's probably the same feeling for Julian, he imagines, and anyone else he may have come across on his journeys. Still ... culture shock, it must be. Too much to get accustomed to, too fast. He rubs his temples and takes a moment for himself, trying his best to stay calm, and remind himself to be polite.
"They've just ... vanished?" Oswald turns his gaze towards the direction of the city, eager to get there quickly to avoid more pests, and perhaps sit down for a minute at the first opportunity. "Without a trace? How-- how is that even possible ...?"
... he holds up a finger, already knowing the answer. "Right, right ... nobody knows, correct?"
"Ah, now you're catching on," he responds with a wink. He knows full well that this must be a harrowing experience for the newcomer, but Julian feels the best support he can provide is to be his charming self and perhaps distract the man a little from his troubles. Oswin probably yearns to return home and there's little Julian could say to help with the homesickness.
Of course, it's always possible that Oswin is as adventurous as he is and sees this as an opportunity for exploration and to try and unravel this mystery.
"I am keen to find out what happened. After all, how are we to ever find our way back to our homes if we sit about feeling sorry for ourselves?"
The positivity is ... refreshing, he thinks. Maybe a bit overbearing to some, but when he's so accustomed to being surrounded by grouches and arrogant suits, the change of pace is kind of a relief. Not counting the rather harrowing chase from oversized mechanical wasps (or something similar, hard to tell when in a blind panic you know,) of course. Between the two, he'd still prefer to be home. Home is at least familiar.
"You're not wrong," Oswin answers, brushing a few patches of dirt from his sleeves as best he can. It's only a moment later when the gravity of the stranger's words finally hits him and his eyes widened, feeling a heavy, icy pit in his stomach.
"... we can't-- we can't go home?" What about my papers, my deadlines? The meetings? My project, all my hard work? "We're just ... stuck here?"
[ ooc: sorry again for my absence, no hard feelings if you'd rather drop and move on, hope you're well! <3 ]
"Trapped for now," he confirms with a nod. By now they're passing through the abandoned city's gates and the tall buildings of glass and steel rise up around them on all sides.
"But I cannot bear to sit idly by and let this be all there is. I plan to go out into the world to explore and learn what happened here. If we do that, perhaps we will also discover what force brought us here."
[ ooc: no worries! i'm good to keep going with these goobers! ]
Now seems like a pretty inopportune moment to start having a crisis. As much as Oswin wants to sit down on the ground and have a complete breakdown, logically he knows that it's only going to delay progress and make himself nothing more than an embarrassment. Julian here is doing his best to ease him into things, the last thing he needs is to scare him off by being dramatic.
It sounds like the other guy has the right idea, at least. After consideration, Oswin nods his head, steeling himself. It's bound to be a challenge for certain, but he's not known for cowarding away - back home, anyway. They don't have oversized metal stinging insects back home.
"Right, then. I'll go with you." Julian might not exactly be asking for company, but since he's at least knowledgable about the land and in fighting the various monstrous beings throughout, as well as outright stating his exploration plan, the smart decision is to accompany him on his quest. There's likely little to be gained by hiding out in a walled city. "If you don't mind the company. And I-- I promise you won't always have to, uh ... do the whole, daring rescue thing, all the time."
No, Julian hadn't been asking for company — not yet, at least — but his face lights up at Oswin's quick response to the news that there'll be an exploration. Perhaps Oswin has as much of a thirst for adventure as Julian does. He's been this way all his life; wanting to explore, get up to no good, and just experience all life has to offer. After all, you never know when it could all end, or when you might... change, unable to be the person you once were.
"I would welcome it! And it's quite all right if I need to rescue you a time or two more. I'm becoming rather skilled at it!" He lets out a laugh as he stops before a nondescript building and opens the door.
"This is where I'm staying. Some like to spread out more, but there are a few others in this building. I've my own apartment, however. Would you care to come in for something to eat? I'm hardly a chef, but there are these interesting wrapped up meals the former inhabitants left behind."
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no subject
"I come from the country of Castellari, on the continent of Belator. Neither of which probably sound familiar to you. And since you didn't ask, my name is Julian De Abbrixio." He paused to sweep a bow towards the man.
"Might I have your name?"
no subject
Oswin tries to pinpoint a nationality for the names given, but his head's a mess still from the sudden arrival, sudden attack, sudden rescuer. Even the bow has him wondering if this is really happening, if he's not having one utterly ridiculous dreamland adventure. The outfit, the sword, the name, and now bowing in introduction? He's more used to handshakes, but it seems out of place here, somehow.
"Ah--" Idiot, the guy saves your ass and you don't even ask his name or say thanks. Berating himself, Oswin tries his ... best approximation of a formal half-bow in return, but it's awkward on shaky legs and fading adrenaline. "Sorry-- sorry. I'm, uh ... I'm Dr. Oswin Fields, from- from California, I guess. I'm ... doubting that's a familiar place to you, since I've never heard of Castellari, either." Are they even from the same planet? Interplanetary travel was starting to become more common back home, but ... but thinking about it too much is making his headache worse.
"It's ... it's nice to meet you, Julian. Circumstances notwithstanding."
[ ooc: hey!! just wanted to say sorry for the lateness, my brain's been all over the place past while but i'm going to do my best to keep up a better tagging schedule from now on! ]
no subject
"Yes, the circumstances are certainly one interesting way to meet people, isn't it? Worry not; those pests cannot fly into the city. Something at the gate stops them, though I have no idea what. No one here does. If the original inhabitants hadn't all disappeared, we could ask them."
no subject
"They've just ... vanished?" Oswald turns his gaze towards the direction of the city, eager to get there quickly to avoid more pests, and perhaps sit down for a minute at the first opportunity. "Without a trace? How-- how is that even possible ...?"
... he holds up a finger, already knowing the answer. "Right, right ... nobody knows, correct?"
no subject
Of course, it's always possible that Oswin is as adventurous as he is and sees this as an opportunity for exploration and to try and unravel this mystery.
"I am keen to find out what happened. After all, how are we to ever find our way back to our homes if we sit about feeling sorry for ourselves?"
no subject
"You're not wrong," Oswin answers, brushing a few patches of dirt from his sleeves as best he can. It's only a moment later when the gravity of the stranger's words finally hits him and his eyes widened, feeling a heavy, icy pit in his stomach.
"... we can't-- we can't go home?" What about my papers, my deadlines? The meetings? My project, all my hard work? "We're just ... stuck here?"
[ ooc: sorry again for my absence, no hard feelings if you'd rather drop and move on, hope you're well! <3 ]
no subject
"But I cannot bear to sit idly by and let this be all there is. I plan to go out into the world to explore and learn what happened here. If we do that, perhaps we will also discover what force brought us here."
[ ooc: no worries! i'm good to keep going with these goobers! ]
no subject
It sounds like the other guy has the right idea, at least. After consideration, Oswin nods his head, steeling himself. It's bound to be a challenge for certain, but he's not known for cowarding away - back home, anyway. They don't have oversized metal stinging insects back home.
"Right, then. I'll go with you." Julian might not exactly be asking for company, but since he's at least knowledgable about the land and in fighting the various monstrous beings throughout, as well as outright stating his exploration plan, the smart decision is to accompany him on his quest. There's likely little to be gained by hiding out in a walled city. "If you don't mind the company. And I-- I promise you won't always have to, uh ... do the whole, daring rescue thing, all the time."
no subject
"I would welcome it! And it's quite all right if I need to rescue you a time or two more. I'm becoming rather skilled at it!" He lets out a laugh as he stops before a nondescript building and opens the door.
"This is where I'm staying. Some like to spread out more, but there are a few others in this building. I've my own apartment, however. Would you care to come in for something to eat? I'm hardly a chef, but there are these interesting wrapped up meals the former inhabitants left behind."