[mingle] the space (april).

[fracturamods]

interim mingle

( WELCOME BACK, TRAVELERS. )

There's nothing but the clatter of train tracks, and the odd feeling of almost floating.

When you wake, it's hard to tell exactly what it is that you're missing - only that you are. There are pieces that aren't quite right, even if you're not sure where those pieces would normally be. Pieces of what, exactly....? Well, if you had to put a word to it, it would be - yourself, probably. Or did you get something back recently? In addition, characters will find that they've been allowed to bring back souvenirs from this most recent trip - trinkets, nothing violent, but items that can fit in your character's pockets, whether that be sentimental or otherwise.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. For those who have been here a while, they might notice some expansions. Though it just as easily seems that the only form of welcome or explanation that you have, comes from nothing more than a slab of marble.

It might've changed since the last time you saw it. Today it reads:

(*´ω｀)o That wasn't so bad, was it?
Hey, you know how that old song goes?
Do you believe in magic? (☆▽☆) Do ya?

Hope you found what you were looking for!

You might have changed since the last time you saw yourself too - perhaps with a new emblem on your clothes, or a portrait on your skin. In addition to that, it seems like Home Base is on the fritz again…?

It seems that suddenly and at random, characters will be able to suddenly see visions of memories that aren't their own flash before their eyes. Pieces of your lives or where you were before this will suddenly slam into other's heads, as clearly as if they experienced the event and the feelings themselves. You might have an inkling of where your memory went and what it was - but you'll need to talk it out with that person in order to recollect it in all its strength back to yourself. Don't you want to keep those precious parts of yourself? It's best if you don't fall more to pieces while you're here. (Memories that have been lost in fragments cannot be sent to others - that's more fun for the future!)

There's no need to fret that much though. You've already gone through the ordeal once, and you might be able to see results from it. Or maybe you'll get a glimpse of where you're going next. Even so, it's best that you don't get too comfortable, because there is still the unshakeable feeling:

There's still much more ahead of you.

Comments

[huanhua]

[ binghe turns to look at this person who's entered, giving him a brief once over. after determining he's clearly not a threat or someone particularly worthy of a lot of attention, he gestures at the microwave again with the knife. ]

What is this?

[ yep its another long haired ancient pretty boy. this one's just scary looking. ]

[rateup]

[ yes, because a sloppy-looking guy in his sweats and his bangs tied back is clearly a threat.

itaru's gaze follows the direction of the knife the guy's pointing at, and he can't help but let out a sigh. seriously, he may as well have walked into the kitchen like "ahh shit, here we go again". ]

It's a microwave. You put food inside, and it'll heat it up for you.

[ to demonstrate, he's going to place some hot pockets inside and set the timer like so. look, it's spinning slowly inside! ]

[huanhua]

[ yeah, definitely not.

he sets the knife down now, finally, and makes his way over to the actual microwave. despite his general looming presence, he mostly just looks vaguely fascinated, watching the hot pockets more than the actual microwave. this time, when the timer goes off, he doesn't brandish any weaponry or demonic energy at it--instead, he just watches like a hawk for when itaru takes it out.

it's definitely hot! and sizzling. interesting. it smells... interesting. he leans over. ] What is that?

[ wtf food are you eating, is the better question. he probably could have figured out the microwave but hot pockets? tf ]

[rateup]

[ the guy has evil vibes, sure, but what's a mysterious being to a guy who knows how to use a microwave? itaru's just here to vibe, man. ]

Ah, glad you asked. We don't really have this back in my country, but they're called Hot Pockets. They're like, mini pizza rolls? [ ...wait he probably doesn't know what a pizza is - ] A pizza is like, really flat bread topped with tomato sauce and cheese, and a bunch of other stuff like meat and vegetables.

[ whew, nailed it. for itaru's case, it's pepperoni pizza-flavored. he picks up a steaming hot pocket with a tissue and hands it to binghe. ]

Careful, it's pretty hot.

[huanhua]

[ so many of those words are completely lost on him. tomatoes? tf is that.

binghe listens to this strange person say strange things for a bit longer, tunes him out by the end, and reaches out to take the strange... hot...pocket from him. after a beat, he takes a small bite, unbothered by the heat because OP protagonist immunity or something.

it's... interesting. that's a word for it. his nose wrinkles. ] This tastes... [ ...... ] unhealthy.

[rateup]

[ DAMN THESE OP CHINESE GUYS what'd itaru do for a sliver of those haxxor powers

he blinks at binghe's blank comment and laughs. ]

Well, yeah. All that good shit in a mighty little package. A lot has changed compared to whichever year you came from, as you can see

[huanhua]

[ every woman (originally) fell in love with him and he is almost completely impossible to harm unless it leads to his story development. his OP comes with its own meta,

anyway. he looks this guy up and down briefly. he looks like he eats these sorts of things. ] It's bad to eat things like this. How can you even tell where it came from?

[ organic food only ] There's nothing that thing [ the microwave? ] could make that I couldn't cook better.

[rateup]

Uhh. It says so in the back of the package?

[ just... points at the food labels at the back. it's hella loaded with calories and junk so it is pretty healthy, but of course itaru knew that! live a little, man!!

at hearing lu binghe's challenge, though, a lightbulb goes off at the top of itaru's head. ookurikara's cooking is heavenly in this sea of instant noodles and tv dinners, but he absolutely can't say no to more free food. hehehehehehe. ]

Really, now? Could you show me how it's done? [ ngl he is immensely curious but this is all for Free Food, ok ]

[huanhua]

[ binghe gives him a long, cool look. ]

Why?

[ CONVINCE HIM MORE, he only cooks for shizun why should he cook for you ]

[rateup]

To test your abilities in this modern day and age. You may think that you're a big shot with your cooking skills in your world, but not everyone here might think so.

[ itaru's bullshitting but like... come on. he's just as curious as to what kind of food everyone else has in their respective worlds too, ya know ]

[huanhua]

It only matters what shizun thinks of my cooking. Otherwise, it's irrelevant.

[ obviously!!!!!! he's a hard sell, itaru.... except not really, because what if shizun didn't like his cooking. what if he couldn't cook for him anymore??? ]

[rateup]

[ what the fuck is a shizun ]

You sure about that? Your shizun might prefer the food the modern world provides if they'd have the chance. And you'd be left in the dust.

[ idk dnd terminology but he's flexing his charisma stat here ok. please let him in ]

[huanhua]

[ left in the dust... left in the dust... in his mind's eye, he can see it, shizun's attention whisked away by some mysterious person wielding this mysterious technology.... this mysterious person (why does the mysterious person in his mind's eye look like liu qingge, we'll never know) getting to see shizun's secret pleased expression.... getting his rare words of praise....


unacceptable

his expression goes scary and determined really fast. this would be more scary if it wasn't over fucking cooking, but you know, he looks over at itaru and commands with all of his royal terrifying mightiness- ] Sit down.

[ YOU'RE GETTING A MEAL WHETHER YOU WANT ONE OR NOT, TEST SUBJECT. turns out he was not in fact hard mode. this is easy mode. he's going to make a fucking four course meal if he can figure out how to use the stove properly. motivated by his love for shizun he can do anything............!!!! ]

[rateup]

[ HE'S SITTING DOWN, HE'S SITTING -- jeez, if itaru didn't notice the menacing aura this guy's been emanating before, he sure can sense it now. and it's even scarier than having yakuza like sakyo lecture them about this and that. so he stays put, watches binghe trying to operate the stove, and in case that the guy hasn't gotten it to light up yet - ]

...You gotta have to turn the knob.

[ might as well do some backseat... cooking??? god what did he get himself into this time ]

[huanhua]

[ click click click FWOOSH.

ah. the stove is at least a gas stove, and the sight of fire is comforting. the rest of this should be a piece of cake.

it's a matter of minutes before the costco kitchen starts to smell like heaven. he's figured out a number of things, from frying things on the stove to cooking rice in a pot, and for someone who didn't understand a microwave an hour ago, he's really adapting and overcoming.

lucky for itaru, it's not like it's going to take long to prep. a toss of the pan against the flame, the crackling sound of oil, and after a little while, he's put together two bowls of fluffy rice topped with a set of delicious, spicy skewered meat. the entire thing looks professional, and he sets the bowl down in front of itaru after it's served up, still vaguely giving off the aura of challenged, though a bit cooler. instead of slamming it down as expected, he sets the bowl down nicely, and provides a pair of chopsticks he scrounged up from god knows where. it seems cooking chilled him out a bit... ] Here.

[rateup]

[ just watching him cook is pretty enthralling from here - it isn't like the warm kind like with omi's, but rather it's like watching one of those competitive cooking shows with all those celebrity chefs with colorful personalities. though this guy's color is as dark as they come.

his eyes are gleaming at the food set down before him, and he has to keep him from drooling as he claps his hands to say thanks for this meal, picking up the chopsticks, and chowing down. it's like eating something from one of those celeb chefs, too! holy crap, he's going to shovel more of that rice and meat into his mouth, relishing the freshness of it after eating practically nothing but instant shit for months now.

it doesn't take long for him to finish his bowl too. he puts down his chopsticks, says his thanks again, and turns to the scary guy for his critique. ] ]

The rice... it's perfectly cooked. The meat's also tender, just the way I like it at least, and -- Are you sure this is your first time with technology?

[ LIKE... HOW DID HE GET THAT ALL RIGHT? the guy's totally maxed out his cooking skill, in that case. ]

[huanhua]

[ ah yes... luo binghe's skillset as the OP Protagonist has made itself known.

in the original proud immortal demon way, luo binghe was a stallion with hundreds of wives. the readers of the novel watched their dashing, smooth and cunning protagonist win the hearts of women left and right through a variety of methods. one of those was cooking, a skill he's retained even though the total turning upside down of his original source material. what a fine house husband.

anyway. he covers the pot and the pan, putting them to the side. hopefully he enjoyed that because he's definitely not getting any more. if it was satisfying then the rest is absolutely for shizun.

he tilts his head to itaru's question, considering. ] It's not as if there's no stove. [ it's just

ancient chinese stove. ] The concept is the same.