intro log.

[fracturamods]

welcome mingle

( AND SO IT BEGINS. )

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.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. 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.

Well - that, and all the people who seem to have woken up alongside you, lost and also probably Doing Their Best™.

There's no need to fret that much though. It's hard to say exactly where you're going next, even though some places might feel a little bit more like a clue, but what you do know is one unshakeable thing:

There's still much more ahead of you.

Comments

[souheki]

[If it helps, Lan Wangji doesn't seem anything but patient. He looks at Haku with his usual expressionless face, simply waiting for whatever Haku chooses to say.]

As am I. [Since he has no reason to keep it a secret. Only material objects that he's noticed, so far, but--] They would be difficult to steal. No value to others.

[His forehead ribbon, at least; the guqin is valuable on its own, even without his spiritual abilities, but it's extremely unwieldy. Also, it's pretty difficult to steal from him in general, and he generally looks too intimidating for anyone to want to try... but the thought that they might just be lost is unsettling.]

[amberspirit]

[The admittance only makes his brows pull together again. But he does look back to Lan Wangji at least, his eyes searching, questioning.]

More than one? Yours was tangible...?

[Perhaps they are broken, he thinks. Though he's not sure how stealing some kind of belonging from someone would make them--

There's a pause from him.]

They were important to you.

[Not a question.]

[souheki]

Yes.

[Concise, but clear, and an answer to both question and statement. Lan Wangji isn't one for wasting his words. There's nothing on his face to indicate how important they might be, but he probably doesn't need to express that anyway, if Haku's asking like this.]

[amberspirit]

[Both of his hands fist at his sides, but he doesn't lower his head so much as simply look away, offering the glare to something else besides Lan Wangji.]

Yubaba can control those she steals names from. Maybe this place operates by similar rules. If it takes something from us, it can keep us here.

[Make them into slaves, but he doesn't say that because it's a little too personal.]

[souheki]

[Lan Wangji wouldn't have been offended even if he had glared at him, honestly. Unlike Some People, he actually has a modicum of emotional intelligence...

That's more information than he was expecting, though. Again, his face doesn't change, but the lack of recognition in his eyes at the name "Yubaba" is telling enough.

He looks out the window again, as he considers Haku's words--and also maybe kind of lowkey checks to see if the dragon is out there, because look, even Lan Wangji is susceptible to curiosity... somehow, though, he finds it doubtful that Haku would stray far from it, so he's not really expecting to see anything. Mostly he's just staring thoughtfully.

It's not impossible (nothing is, apparently, or so he's learning today), but--] The pillar spoke of "rebuilding" our souls, to return home.

[In a very, very odd way... and look, it's not like Lan Wangji is taking the mysterious message at its word, but it doesn't seem like the kind of thing one would mention, if they were meant to be prisoners.]

[amberspirit]

[Glancing up, he watches Lan Wangji watch the outside. The dragon, of course, doesn’t make an appearance. Mostly because the dragon has already appeared under Lan Wangji’s very nose.]

That doesn’t mean we aren’t being kept against our will.

[Let him call it prisoners! He can excuse his anger better that way.]

I was fine before coming here. [Ha ha!!] There wasn’t anything that needed to be “rebuilt.” So why are we being made to find the pieces stolen from us in the first place?

[souheki]

[LOOK... just because Lan Wangji is a cultivator (and, y'know, not an idiot), it doesn't mean he's gonna be presumptuous about this not!kid and his dragon, okay!! Lord knows Lan Wangji understands that there are some things you Don't Wanna Talk About, especially with strangers. He may feel an affinity, and some very earthly fondness, but they have just met. And under extremely strange circumstances, at that.

His gaze moves back to Haku, though it's no less considering. Haku, who has apparently lost something important to him, that isn't tangible. Unwittingly, he remembers a quiet conversation, and a painful revelation--something tense passes across his face, but it's gone almost immediately.

Raising his hands, he bows, too formally to be addressing a child. His speech, as well--]

Please forgive my impudence. Is your spiritual energy intact? [He's not going to pretend he doesn't know Haku's more than he seems. That would be disrespectful at best.]

[amberspirit]

[The formality surprises him. Not even that Lan Wangji may know he's something more than a young boy, but simply... receiving great respect outside of a simple "Master Haku" from the workers of the bathhouse. It shows on his face.

And then it's washed away afterward.]

Haku is fine.

[Here, he's not sure if he can demand the same kind of title from others, not when being Yubaba's apprentice is so detached from this place.]

It's intact. [Softer:] ...I'm missing my color.

[souheki]

[Haku's surprise, in turn, surprises him, though in his case, it's not visible. But, again, he isn't one for making assumptions. Even Lan Wangji isn't the type to give formal bows to any ol' kiddo on the streets, but he's also seen how some of his so-called peers treat those they perceive as children, and... well. It's certainly not great.

He doesn't make any comment, or even acknowledge that he's noticed, but it sure isn't doing anything to help him stop comparing Haku to Sizhui. Forgive him if he seems a little softer than before.

And they're apparently outright acknowledging this now, okay. That's fine. HELLO, HAKU THE DRAGON. He'll just be straightforward in his questioning, then, though he maintains the same level of respect as before.]

What does it signify?

[amberspirit]

[Look. Lan Wangji has perhaps shown him just enough respect that there's some trust. That's, like, one of two people. Be proud to know the identity of the weird dragon.

But still, there's some hesitation when answering the question. He doesn't seem worried as much about Lan Wangji as he simply is being recognized here as not human, as maybe dragon.]

Nothing in particular that I know of.

[Though Haku wouldn't be the first to call himself a beautiful dragon. Color was just color. Except, seeing himself all mottled grey... for some reason, it felt disheartening. It felt ugly.]

[souheki]

[He is proud!! Or, more accurately, the fact that Haku has to keep his identity a secret is... well. Lan Wangji has seen firsthand, many times, how people can be. So it's not particularly surprising, but it is saddening. Lan Wangji will endeavor to be worthy of that trust, for as long as they are trapped in this place.]

Everything has value to someone. [Even colors; Gusu Lan did not choose white for no reason. He's found it difficult to believe that whoever took his forehead ribbon and his guqin were aware of what they were doing, but now... either these things have some underlying significance that they're not aware of, or the culprit knows what they mean to them, personally. Both options are equally disconcerting.]

[amberspirit]

[There really isn't any argument he can give to Lan Wangji's advice, and there isn't any huffy fight in him anyway. He's not that kind of boy... dragon? spirit?]

We'll get them back. Yours maybe more easily than mine. [Or so he thinks. Physical items should be easy to get back, right? If they can find them, if they can find where they're being kept. He could probably get in and steal them back, he supposes. If only it were so simple.] I suspect the others are also missing things, some way or another.

I'm going to keep searching.

[souheki]

[PERHAPS... Lan Wangji isn't so convinced, though. There's definitely more to this than it seems, and he won't particularly be surprised if regaining intangibles is somehow less complicated.]

The person I arrived with--he claims he is not missing anything. ["CLAIMS" because Lan Wangji was too busy having big gay feelings to check him more thoroughly, but he will learn The Truth soon.] Rather, he gained an object he did not have, before we came here.

[amberspirit]

[CLAIMS. Don't betray them like this, Lan Wangji, PLEASE. STOP THE BIG GAY EYES FOR HALF A SECOND.]

He... received something...? [What the fCK. Haku is going to kick Wei Wuxian's ass seven ways from Sunday. He gives Lan Wangji a sort of dubious look.] It was... an item?

Did anyone else receive anything?

[souheki]

[SOMEONE GET HIM ANTI-WWX-TINTED GLASSES IMMEDIATELY]

Yes. An item he once owned. [One that he made by hand, as well--and as far as Lan Wangji knew, one that was supposed to be in someone else's possession.]

I do not know. But our most recent memories also differ, when they should not. [And in this case, they agreed that it probably wasn't just because of Wei Wuxian's abysmal memory. He isn't positive they're related, but it's worth mentioning.]