[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

[deadened]

Oh-- I guess it makes sense. I-is food scarce where you're from, or...?

2!

[givethemhell]

[Yeah it's absolutely Wei Wuxian in the background of someone's sappy Christmas kiss photo, pantsing a rando.]

—Looks like it! Can't say I've ever had so much to drink that I've been unable to remember what I was doing that night, but there's a first time for everything, haha.

[Though he already knows it's probably just some weird Vortex World shenanigans GOD. He cants his head to the side, glancing down at-- ??? Well whatever he's seen weirder things, it's fine.]

Did you show up on the train recently?

[He sure feels like he'd remember seeing her around otherwise...]

ii!

[givethemhell]

[If it wasn't for the fact that this poor fool's thoughts seem genuinely distressed, Wei Wuxian would be convinced he was pulling his leg with that suggestion there...

But tragically he's a gremlin who does his best to help, so he'll nod along in agreement. Does he think it'll work?? Absolutely not, but hey, maybe it'll help the kid feel a little less frazzled.]

We should roar together! Two roars will be much louder than one alone - she might hear it better if she's farther away. What do you think?

[deadened]

[He looks a little puzzled after hearing that, not entirely realizing it was only a thought-- he'd glanced down, as well, while Wei Wuxian poked at his clothes, so he has no idea his mouth wasn't moving. But then there's suddenly a hand on his head, which is absolutely not making the flush go away, thanks for NOT HELPING WWX.]

I... haven't tried to.

[Wen Ning has literally just been right here since he arrived, it's... it's been a Time.]

[bywolves]

[ oh wow he super hates that this guy just zeroed in on him like the terminator

He also does not bother to help, because anybody who can just see Royce is someone he's not going to touch with a ten foot pole. Royce likes to pride himself on the fact that once he decides nobody is going to see him, nobody does. So this is - concerning. At best.

Maribor above does he wish he had Alverstone. Instead, he pulls his legs up and shifts into a more defensive stance, just in case he's going to be attacked... somehow... ]

No. [ Is his answer. No, he won't give you a hand? No, don't climb up here? No to the general existence of a person near him? All. All of those. ]

[deadened]

[The troubled look on his face probably answers that well enough-- no, they probably didn't.

-but those next words definitely catch him off guard, eyes wide as he blinks up at Royce.]

You want t-to get rid of them-?

[A moment later, though, he recovers enough to shake his head.]

Mm, they're... it's a special construction. Normal tools won't break it.

i!

[givethemhell]

[A BEING OF CHAOS DESCENDS FROM THE SKY.

Not quite, but kind of. Thanks to Shigure, he's taken to standing? On the roof?? While the train is just, in motion. What's life without the wind in your hair and the risk of being pushed right off and flying away into the void any time the train takes a sudden turn!

He's picked an excellent time and place to grab onto the ledge and hang upside down like a bat, in any case - it lands him right in front of the window Xie Lian is peering excitedly out of. SURPRISE. He looks a little surprised himself for a second, clearly not prepared for someone to be That Close, but grins widely and waves with great enthusiasm soon enough and then knocks on the window. LET HIM IN.]

[givethemhell]

[LOOK IT'S JUST A REFLEX HE'S DOING HIS BEST!!

He will not be stopped in his new quest either. The quest? One, get up to where Royce currently is, and two, pester Royce in general. His demeanor immediately triggers the innate instinct deep in his soul to BULLY. It's another reflex, don't blame him.]

Wh— You can't just keep a nice spot to yourself without sharing! Come, now. I'll ask nicely, do you want me to ask you nicely? I'll even share my snacks with you!

[Helpfully, he pulls a paper bag out of his sleeve. There's a soft pretzel inside. Don't worry about it.]

[bywolves]

You're shaking like a small, yapping dog and you can barely get a sentence out without stuttering. Somehow I doubt the chains are necessary.

[ Unless this guy is a really good actor, which is a possibility. Royce keeps it in mind, shifting his weight. He's ready for just about anything, especially in a new place that he isn't... entirely sure he's not hallucinating. ]

Special construction? [ A beat. ] Let me guess. Dwarvish? Don't tell me it's a gemlock.

[givethemhell]

[LOOK true to his nature, every time he tries to help things go horribly wrong. It's fine. Sometimes these things happen!

He's also obviously sizing Wen Ning up, as if trying to decide whether or not his cursed twink arms can deal with carrying someone taller than him around. Maybe Wen Ning won't be so heavy so much now that he's living weight instead of dead weight?? But he'll decide not to test his luck that much, since the last thing he wants to do is drop his ex-zombie and break all his bones or something, wow. Instead he'll just sidle up right next to him, side-to-side, and wrap an arm around his shoulder. LEAAAN OOON HIIIIM--]

Hold on, alright? I'll help you up and we'll go somewhere a little warmer. It's not that far from here.

[deadened]

Y-young master Wei-! You really don't need to-- p-please, I can manage, it's all right...

[Ohhhh he's going to die again, probably, why does his young master need to be so TOUCHY ALL THE TIME... but he doesn't want to let go and maybe fall and risk Wei Wuxian coming down with him?! So he just leans on him until he's standing, and then... gently tries to step away... PLEASE, HE IS FINE.]

[suddenlybees]

[ doubt

Kano pins her with a look for a moment, and then leans in to shove his face into the fabric because maybe it smells weird??? There's got to be something wrong with it, and if she's not going to tell him, he'll have to be as weird as possible until she spills. ]

i

[rateup]

[ should itaru even question why there's a pristine three-foot-tall bat talking about pay in a train going nowhere? probably not. this is a pretty lucid isekai dream, after all, anything can happen.

so fine, he'll entertain her question with an easygoing smile. ]

I know how you feel. It really sucks getting whisked away into who knows where right on payday. Like what if you have plans on that day?

[ like stay at home and laze about. ]

[bywolves]

[ Royce, idly, wonders what he did to deserve all of this in one day. First he gets dropped into digihell and now there's a loud man trying to climb up to him. His life is pain. ]

Where did you even... [ WHERE DID THE PRETZEL COME FROM ] There's nothing up here that you could possibly want.

[ He's pretty sure if this dude can manage to get up here, Royce can just kick him and knock him down. So. At least there's that silver lining. ]

[suddenlybees]

[ Maybe... no. No, ketchup is still a better idea than rocks, in the end, because the rock would have just been used to bash both their heads in. Kano takes the light jabbing to mean do something about this, which he would if he had any good ideas— he doesn't, so he settles on an okay one, which is to slowly crouch down where he is, one hand on Wei Wuxian's shin to steady himself as he reaches for another snow rabbit. Its head falls off, but the rest of the body remains intact as he hands it to Wei Wuxian. ]

To wash his hand.

[supersoldier]

On Gaia? [Since the only frame of reference he has are the ones from his own world, naturally.] Feats of mechanical engineering, running on outside sources of energy.

[Mako, usually, which can skirt the line between pure energy and magic if one really decided to split hairs, but— Well. That’s a discussion for some other time, if her apparent curious mind will allow for it.]

Moving from point A to point B is more mundane, after all.

[deadened]

[Well. That's all true, and he finds the floor very interesting for a moment, face flushing slightly pink. There are some disadvantages to being alive, maybe, he didn't need to worry about that as a corpse...]

I-I'm afraid I don't know what those are.

[What the heck is dwarvish, for one?]

You would need a cultivator's sword to break them.

[suddenlybees]

[ You stick a Peep in the microwave and it poofs up! Then proceeds to burn becomes some sort of twisted monstrosity. That's what Kano was reminded of, relieved when the dog finally goes back to Chuuya. ]

Y'know, I bet we can find a Marshmallow sized marshmallow in that weird store around here. Maybe even a microwave to stick it inside!

[ Or a bag of doggy kibble the size of a kind mattress that they're going to have to carry out somehow before opening it. ]

[bywolves]

[ Not knowing what a gemlock is would've been fine, but not knowing dwarves? Royce frowns - his mouth is the only visible part of his face from under the hood, so it's probably not the nicest expression. ]

A... cultivator. [ Royce repeats. ] Cultivator of what?

[supersoldier]

The people here already inspiring distrust for you?

[If that’s the case, it’s practical if nothing else. But even Sephiroth, who likes to assess a situation with careful consideration, isn’t lurking from afar and spying on others.]

[bywolves]

Yes, but they aren't unique in that respect. People everywhere inspire distrust. It's how people work.

[ He shifts where he's sitting, pulling his hood down further. He sounds matter of fact, more than anything. ]

[supersoldier]

One is practical for a group, the other is likely the result of someone’s strange sense of humor.

[Again, ridiculous.]

But both can still be utilized. Are you thinking of bringing that back?

[supersoldier]

[That says something for this man’s mindset, doesn’t it? But he keeps that to himself, just another quiet observation in his head.

A little dryly-]

How people work in a bulk supermarket.

[In this case, at least.]

How enlightening is that?

[deadened]

You... don't have any, where you're from?

[Sure, anything should be possible after suddenly being transported somewhere completely different, and this man's clothes and accent aren't familiar either, but-- what a wild concept.]

I think the easiest way to put it is-- manipulating spiritual energy.

[bywolves]

Very. Don't have these where I'm from.

[ He plucks a box of gum off the shelf next to him, examining it. ] A man walks into a bulk supermarket. What does he go for first? Does he stop to talk to anybody? Why is he in a bulk supermarket when he could be looking for a way out from this place he's been kidnapped to? Is he panicked? Is he calm?

There's a lot to see if you look for it.