[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

[quickpersuader]

I didn't need to.

[Ouch.]

Something short would be good. It doesn't need to be flashy.

[wisterin]

[ She keeps her hand that gestured to the exit up. ]

Please look for yourself.

[ A beat. ]

If your leg needs to be rebandaged, please let me know.

[decryptic]

Understood. Japanese, right? I actually have experience with the language. I spent some time in the region.

[ Not that he had to speak it, but as a unit made for information retrieval, it made sense for him to have the language on file. ]

[stressweets]

...I guess I remember an experiment in science class that was something like that. Making a lightbulb turn on, I think. [ so in theory he

he guesses it could work? ] But, ummm, alright... You're very optimistic, aren't you?

[ tbh he likes it, optimistic people are just... good? so he sounds quite happy when he tell-asks her so. ]

[decryptic]

[ Good thing none of this came up on the Isle of Champions, or I really would've thought he came from another dimension. ]

Oookay, then. What kind of magic do they do?

[decryptic]

[ NO... NO MOCKING HUMANS!! 9S coughs and schools his expression into a still-not-serious-but-slightly-more-acceptable smile before lowering his hand from his face. ]

Mittens, eh? I think I can do you one better.

[ He's gonna borrow the sharpie again... Mittens are fine, he guesses, but it would be even better if the paperman had weapons to defend himself with! His hands are round(ish), so it only makes sense to give him combat bracers. Round-shaped combat bracers... Round-shaped combat bracers...............



9S draws an Emil head on each of the paperman's hands. ]

[rateup]

Oh? Were you there one a mission?

[rateup]

Being an actor?

[ he shrugs. ]

It's fine, I guess. Gives me something to do while my phone charges. But I heard from someone that we... won't be our usual selves in the next world over, so maybe I'll be able to apply what I've learned in theater. Or something.

[stressweets]

[ But The Whole Plan Hinges On Cats!!!! But also: you hold on one second there, mister. ]

...The next world we end up in. [ Said very slowly, like he's just. Double making sure that's what he heard. ] So- so this is a common thing, or something? We're not going to be stuck in this place forever - instead, we'll just be yanked around by something and deposited wherever they'd like us to be, as if we're merely here for their amusement??

[ i mean


it's called a train, but go off, i guess ]

[stressweets]

Ah... You're right, we might be. [ unfortunately he's a chronic overthinker so the likelihood of that stopping is very low. ] There's nothing we can do about it now, so we shouldn't worry about it... right?




[ a sentiment easier said than done but- ]

[stressweets]

[ WHAT IS THIS WEIRD-ASS N... it's fine. "I go by" means it isn't his real name, so that's fine. ]

...Uh, a pleasure... Gel-P-kun. [ this is so dumb i hate it ] Th-then, shall we? I'll sniff as hard as I can.

[ GOD THIS IS SO DUMB. ]

[reloves]

.. you really must've gone through some strange things. [ She says after eyeing him for a moment.

Most people rationally know there's no point in panicking, after all, but that still doesn't mean people won't give in to the instinct without thinking anyway. ]

Got it then. Unmanned stores in the middle of nowhere you end up being kidnapped to are totally normal to you.

[reloves]

Against.. the atmosphere? [ She sounds kind of confused.

Minako has gone up against a lot of weird things herself, but what the other is saying still doesn't make much sense to her regardless. ]

And did that work? [ ??? Whatever she was doing, anyway? ]

[suddenlybees]

[ Every day I regret not making Kano original so he could sign the police quest book as Gel-P ]

Yep, let's get going~ Keep your eyes closed and sniff loooooooooooonng and hard!

[ At least the Space is infinitely more innocuous than any mafia streets, where Kano would have made him walk through every mud puddle and pile of dog poop he can find. In the Space, it's just... stretches and stretches of nothing, every once in a while directing Tsukasa over train tracks, sometimes trying to get him to walk along the tracks, etc. ]

[osuni]

[Okuni was all set up to make fun of Xie Lian mercilessly but seeing him like this… Hm.

It’s a little like that time the twins trapped Gengetsu in a net and were about to be extra mean to her but then she was like “I’m just a doll, worthless” and they were like “oh okay, way to be a mood-killer” and let her go. This is one of these times. How can Okuni call Xie Lian a “god who is extremely bad at his job” when he just went ahead and admitted it??? ]

So scrap collecting is just a hobby of yours, and you’re just unfortunate by nature.

[THAT DOES SOUND COMPLICATED???]

Is being a heavenly official different from being a martial god?

[osuni]

I’ve been busy! [Okuni was glitching out on a train somewhere this whole time.] Haven’t you seen the store? Trying out all the strange things there takes up most of my time.

[is it more important to escape or to try out every flavor of KitKat Okuni can find in Costco?]

Speaking of, are you hungry? I brought some food with me.

[okuni pulls out a package of lemon-flavored kitkats from her kimono sleeve. Here, rouge]

[osuni]

[this is why samurai are WEIRD!!!

Okuni thinks as she takes a running start and leaps off the train after him. She aims her landing at the exact angle she'll need to land on Shigure if he doesn't DODGE!!! you're welcome]

[osuni]

[100% completion on Okuni’s route means ten bad ends and one ot3 end where Itaru would have been stuck with Okuni AND Baren tbh, it's better this way]

Eh, you're concerned about that? You're surprisingly bashful... I guess men from the future are still the same.

[okuni is being mean, she can see his EARS!! The only reason she notices is because she has the same exact tell -- her ears grow red when she's embarrassed too... It's always better when it's the other person being embarrassed though.]

It's fine! We can do this later then if you like.

[u mean never]

i forgot baren would already know what oreos are im losing it

[osuni]

[BAREN




thanks]

Ooh! We should feed those to as many people as possible! [NO!!] Though... I wonder if they'll know right away...

[That single phrase 'where I come from' feels a little like a spicy Oreo in of itself -- hard to swallow, but easy to endure......]

What's that place called? The one you were in last.

sounds like the title of wwx's life

[osuni]

[This must mean that WWX has a ton of really great beast stories, huh???? not like Lan Wang Ji who had zero great dragon eating people stories, but first]

Really?

[pauses]

...You don't come off as a peacemaker at all!

[osuni]

[STOP this is the most fun Okuni's had in ages. Granted, Kara is far from the average Oumi villager who would have picked up a pitchfork by now, but seeing as how there are all kinds of people who were kidnapped and taken here... It's nice that there's such a big variety. Okuni is happy.

She doesn't bother picking up the pink kazoo. Instead, she just pulls out a green one from her other sleeve,]

Steadfast on his path.

[kazoos]

Without smiles or music.

[kazoos]

Is he lost or found?

[kazooooooooos]

[osuni]

You're welcome.

[SWEETS GOOD!!! Okuni finishes her in two bites... She's been pretty chaotic all day, so it's nice to power back up this way.]

I took every single box I could hold the first time, but the second I looked back, even more boxes appeared. How strange, I thought! But now that I think about it, it must have been magic!

[Tucking the empty wrapper back in her sleeve,]

It's good, right? If magic made these appear, then it can't be that much of a curse, can it?

[osuni]

[STOP Okuni would have obediently listened to every single Gusu Lan rule!!!!]

Up there! [she points to the top of LWJ's dragon statue...] Can you give me a boost? I'm going to put you right on top.

[she looks expectantly up at him...]

jelle.... that tag is so soft

[osuni]

[MINAKO....

But you know, none of Minako's words are wrong?? Okuni is also a firm believer in "be honest about everything, especially if it embarrasses someone else", even if she uses it to be RUDE more often than not...]

My, you really are an honest person. And you have good taste too!

[okuni when men call her pretty: yeah and what of it?
okuni when women call her pretty: HELL YEA HELL YEA]

You're not so bad yourself. I've never seen hair that shade before -- it's pretty.

[sakichi has green hair but whatever, he's probably the only weird anime boy in her canon]

yeah it really is

[givethemhell]

[LAN WANGJI DOES HAVE GREAT SNURTLE EATING PEOPLE STORIES why does he not share these good things, god.

Also wow. WOW. Wei Wuxian feigns surprise, placing a hand delicately against his chest like he's about to get the vapors.]

What a cruel thing to say! I always try to solve problems peaceably if the option is there.