[mingle] the space (january).

[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?

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

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.

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. 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

[doublesmall]

Well, what have you had happen, then? Seems like none of us are immune to extra bullshit even if we've dealt with it already.

[doublesmall]

Oh, that kind of thing... guess it makes sense. If I had someone like that here, I'd probably be pretty attached.

[He's still not entirely sure that's all it is (he SAW you two gay dancing in that last world), but-- yeah, he absolutely gets it.]

[doublesmall]

...so they all got wiped out without really knowing what hit them, huh?

[He frowns deeply at that, considering. Guess we've gotten kind of close to that before, he thinks briefly, but it wasn't really the same-- they at least had an idea what was going on, the multiple times the city/world/etc have been at risk.]

And not even knowing how it transmitted meant no avoiding it, I'm guessing. [...] How long did it take?

[doublesmall]

[why would he put someone in the microwave is kano like, okay...

Anyway, Chuuya is oblivious to the fact that he's the one who might end up in this giant figurative marshmallow, he was absolutely thinking of trying to get some other poor sap in there... so he's observing the candy as they come across it, looking thoughtful.]

You know, I bet there's uses for giant licorice ropes and shit, too.

[chuuya there's real rope in here, probably.]

[doublesmall]

...maybe?

[He draws back a little as she pokes his ear-- let him live!!-- but otherwise stays where he is, trying to consider that.]

It still doesn't make sense, though. I don't think we're from the same place, so how could I forget that much? They had to belong to somebody else.

[Later he's going to look back on how stupid he's being and kick his past self, but! He's doing his best.]

[givethemhell]

[WOW his citadel would be wonderful, punk!!]

Mm, it will! Well - if you're up against anything supernatural, anyway. Won't stop you from being stabbed or pushed from the train or something, unfortunately.

[givethemhell]

[Honestly that's a fair reaction, he reacts to food the same way when he smells it... SO OVER HE TROTS to the flat counter behind which an employee would be selling delicious fares, if they had any employees! He'll just squirrel his way behind there, patting the surface and gesturing toward a chair across from him.]

This is the food cart! Here, here - take a seat. They have a lot of things back here to try--

[As he begins pulling out... freshly popped bags of popcorn, still-warm churros, soft pretzels, a little thing of popcorn chicken, a corndog which he pauses briefly to stare at because he hasn't seen that one yet either, a pack of sour gummies...]

[dianxias]

Something like that. [ he's a daozhang. really. he's definitely not a god. he's absolutely not eight hundred years old. (he's definitely pretty weird, though.) ] I guess I don't get out that much. I'd like to hear about it, though!

[ says the man who is more or less a hobo.

he realizes once they get within a safe jumping distance and returns to a standing position, hands folded behind his back. even a little before jiang cheng tells him to, he's already stepping forward, light as a feather as he hops off of the sword and lands gracefully on the back of the train, one foot, then the other. it's small enough that there's barely enough room for two, so he leans backwards to get the back door open, then steps through into the train enough for them both to enter, offering the other cultivator a smile. ]

[unfriendliest]

[ he isn't sure if the revisionists count as supernatural or not since they technically stab, but uh. ]

...But does it make sure the one holding it won't break?

[ not that he expects to. see above stubbornness. but he might as well double check because otherwise what's the point. ]

[givethemhell]

By a definition, I suppose! I arrived here earlier than you and the others who have been showing up today. I'd say this is a third or fourth week? Fifth, maybe? It's a little hard to keep track of the time around here.

[He says in a way that is definitely too cheery and unbothered for someone who's just been Stuck In The Void (and also alternate realities) for upwards of a month...]

[givethemhell]

Who's to say I was playing, huh?! I could have been dying right under your feet and you'd have just callously finished knocking the soul out of my body!

[He says this but he seems fine enough to be scooping up snow to roll into a ball VERY RAPIDLY. He's definitely turning to chuck it the second it's formed enough to stick together...]

[givethemhell]

Makes sense that if it were to work out there, it could probably work out elsewhere, yes?

[HM, HM, his braincell is in motion, that's always bad. Good thing he's snapped out of his considerations when Marshmallow WHINES, reminding him of HIS EXISTENCE. Wei Wuxian's gaze snaps back over that way automatically before diverting again.]

—I'd really like to pick your brain a little more about it, if it's something you don't mind talking about! Some other time, maybe?

[deadened]

[friendship!! xie lian is now friends with wen ning. wen ning will now die for him.]

If it's supposed to travel around this place, then... then if we find somewhere it should pass by, we should find it easily enough.

[he has only a very basic understanding of this thing, but he has at least briefly caught sight of it, so at least it probably won't startle him too much.]

[deadened]

I think-- my home must be further from this place than yours is.

[kangai is definitely more knowledgeable about these things...]

[dianxias]

[ oh. oh there's so much food. everything smells good, and xie lian's eyes look vaguely sparkly at the sight. having only recently ascended again, he of course developed a taste (a "taste', if you can call his tastebuds anywhere near that) for mortal food. mantou, tea, soup, just about anything he could get his hands on....

but this is like a paradise! as xie lian slides into a seat and settles, taking his straw hat off of his back and placing it on the seat next to him, he watches wei wuxian curiously pulling stuff out of the cart. ] Ah--I don't have any money. [ that's for sure.

what else is new. he tilts his head. ] Is there something I could do in exchange? I wouldn't want to take anything unfairly.... [ he can crush boulders on his chest? do cool dance tricks? play you a sickass snake charmer song? ]

[givethemhell]

[He'll have to deal with this eventually. He'll have to deal with it and he knows it, because Jiang Cheng will regain these missing fragments and this place is vast but too, too small. "If we both exist in this world, then of course we'll meet." He'd said that to Lan Wangji what feels like days and years ago; it had been true in the familiarity of home, and it's still true here. He will have to deal with this.

But he can't do that if he can barely wrangle the complex knot of emotion well enough to keep his pace even-keeled as he leaves, instead of breaking into a run. He can't look his little brother in the eye and see the soft edges of his youth, back when he was just A-Cheng and not Sect Leader Jiang, and their older sister spoiled them with extra shares of meat in their broth instead of lying cold in a casket he'd never even seen. He can't, with an unburdened conscience, talk to a Jiang Cheng who doesn't know - and can't yet learn of - the multitudes of crimes he's committed. How could he even consider it?

He will have to deal with this, but he can't just yet. Most of the ugly feelings and upset thoughts tiding through him are nameless and difficult to transmit even intentionally, so at least Jiang Cheng is spared from having to deal with everything there.

Everything but a gentle, drifting I'm sorry as he turns the corner and walks away from his brother again.]

[dianxias]

[ NO!!!! NOT ALLOWED!!!

Good thinking! You're very smart, young master Wen. [ as always, xie lian is generous with praise. cultivators these days... so sweet and kind and thoughtful. xie lian turns back towards the way he came and puts his hand over his eyes, peeking around the outside of the fantasy notsco and then back to the tracks in front of them. ]

Maybe there? [ it looks like a lead in to a mine or something, so... logically, wheels would go on it? tracks? yes. ]

[souheki]

["Amazing" sure is one word for it... it just makes Lan Wangji kind of tired, honestly?? He's seen too much chaos happen here.]

The items may only be taken in large sizes or quantities. [IT'S SO WASTEFUL... he doesn't like it... but he dutifully leads Xie Lian over towards the accessories anyway. He's specifically heading for scarves, because of the snow, but there are ties nearby too, as well as various accessories shining and glittering across the way.] But that is the only stipulation we know of.

[souheki]

[LOOK HE'S NOT LYING and he won't deny it if he's explicitly confronted, but he's an actions-over-words kind of guy, okay. Besides, he kind of assumes his own feelings are always blatantly obvious.... it's not like he makes much of an effort to hide them.]

Mm. Wei Ying is... [A lot of things, far too many to describe in words. But most importantly--] ...good. A good person. But reckless, sometimes. ["SOMETIMES"... how kind of him to add that.] He does not mind getting in trouble for others.

[HE NEEDS SUPERVISION, BASICALLY, is what Lan Wangji is trying to say. It doesn't completely explain why Lan Wangji's always thinking about him, but it's definitely not untrue, either.]

[souheki]

[STOP YELLING!!!!!

It does get him to stop, but he doesn't turn around. He's not sure he can, right now. Looking Jiang Cheng in the eyes and seeing no recollection of his most precious family member (his only family member, the normal Jiang Cheng would say) is just-- too much, in a way he never expected to have to deal with.]

I have no answer you would accept.

[deadened]

...he did, but that's... it's in the past.

[The reminder makes his voice a little quieter, slows his steps, one hand unconsciously checking the outside of one of his pockets as if to make sure the pouches he'd tucked into it are still there. It's something of the past-- they all are, or at least all of them were supposed to be.

Here he is, though.]

None of us can do anything about-- what we did before.

[givethemhell]

Oh - no need to worry about payment! You take the things you want here, it's all free of charge.

[WELCOME TO THE FUTURE where everything is free and the only price you pay is missing chunks out of your soul! Great fun.]

I suppose it's a small token in exchange for the troubles we go through? [SHRUGS and pushes a few things closer.] Try a few things, see what you like! Do you prefer salt to sugar? How about spice - do you like hot foods?

[Wei Wuxian has yet to find anything spicy enough to defeat him in this void but ONE DAY... One day, he'll find a real challenge and he'll drag everyone down with him.]

[goldenrepair]

Dao--

[Oh. The man just goes for it. Jiang Cheng doesn't even have time to try to wrangle Xie Lian over, the other man makes it look terribly graceful and easy. Hm. Definitely not a god or an eight hundred year old.]

About what, the sword or Yunmeng Jiang?

[Quickly, he steps after Xie Lian on to the balcony and, ducking just slight, inside. The sword swings carefully up and around, and he catches the hilt behind his back in his hand, making sure it's pointed out of the way until he can get in and sheathe it. Xie Lian wasn't wrong: it is a very nice sword. Sharp in its edges, details elegant.]

[souheki]

[Oh! Well. He'll be sure to remember that, then!]

Gusu Lan. [He'll offer up his own sect name, as well! He's lacking the telltale ribbon, but it's not like anyone here is familiar with it anyway, so he isn't going to mention it.]

[deadened]

[if this keeps up wen ning is going to die again. as it is, he flushes at the praise, recovering quickly enough to follow what xie lian is looking at.]

Oh- yes, I think that looks right! Young master Wei showed them to me before...

[he also was just jumping around the void and giving wen ning a heart attack, BUT.]