[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

[bywolves]

i.

[ Okay, so this is a lot to take in. Like - a lot, a lot. For someone who was just trudging through an underground cave after a big dragon, this is too much. What appears to be five foot three hooded cloak is staring up at the pillar in the Center, motionless. Is he hallucinating? He has to be hallucinating. He's lost his mind. Which is what this pillar is telling him, actually - he's lost something, and he has to get it back.

At least that's not new.

As much as he absolutely hates to do it, he says to the closest person to him: ]

What do all the symbols mean? I don't read the local language. [ yes he means the emoji faces ]

ii.

[ He really, really does not want to talk to anybody. In fact, he's doing his absolute best to be as invisible as he can, it's just that there's literally nowhere to hide in this place. This makes it extra embarrassing when his - head? Skull? Starts to burn, and he has to hurriedly knock his hood back and scrub at his forehead in a panic. This reveals his tattoo - a crown that dips down his forehead, and around his skull. Under his hair, thankfully, but that can only hide so much. The burning sensation and the message that he gets coaxes a stream of curses under his breath in frustration. Maribor's sake. He's already 8000% done with this place.

Anybody passing by can probably hear his various thoughts.

Half of these are MORE CURSING but the other half are furious what am I missing? what did they take? I need to find someone to wring this information out of -- ]

iii.

[ Alternatively.

Once he's calmed down a bit, he finds somewhere to lurk. Which is why, in a location of your choosing, if you feel like someone is watching you, that's because someone is! Royce is. He's Batman-ing up in the highest place he can climb, hood covering his face, eyes like a cat in the dark. Boo. ]

i.

[descried]

[... kangai would think this guy is a cosplayer, but right now, he's not sure of anything? it's more than a little intimidating, though.]

Oh. Um... those are emojis. As in... faces?

[he did not think he would ever be explaining this to someone.]

[bywolves]

[ what the fuck is an emoji ]

They're... faces. [ Royce repeats, sounding baffled. He's also a tinge British. ] They look nothing like faces.

[descried]

Never said they were anatomically correct. But see...

[he points to the first emoji: ヾ( •́д•̀ ;)ﾉ]

Those are the arms, that's the head, the eyes, the mouth... it's supposed to look distressed, I guess.

[bywolves]

[ Royce squints up at the emoji, trying to make sense of what he's being told. He guesses that could look like a face? Now that it's being explained to him. ]

I... guess. [ A beat. ] I suppose they're added for... effect. I've never seen them used before.

iii

[supersoldier]

[The “highest place” currently consists of inordinately high shelving at the Store, tucked between overstocked supplies. If Sephiroth was a less observant man — not raised and trained for focus and attentiveness — maybe he wouldn’t have noticed the figure high above.

But even the smallest rustle gives Royce away, and he pauses mid-stride in a wide aisle, glancing up at the hooded figure. ]

...What are you hoping to observe?

[Buddy.]

[bywolves]

[ don't look at him he's batman ]

Nothing in particular. [ Royce says, idly. He's missing Alverstone, which is infuriating. Especially when he can see the discipline the man in front of him possesses - a soldier of some kind. ]

Usually people don't look up.

[supersoldier]

[he’s costco batman]

Usually.

[-is all he offers, feeling no obligation to explain why he might be more inclined to look up than others.

Sephiroth’s arms cross.]

You won’t inspire much trust, lurking above.

[bywolves]

[ There's a hint of a grin from under the hood. ]

Wasn't looking for it, so that's just as well. [ Sniff. ] What were you looking for?

i

[quickpersuader]

I've been trying to figure that out myself.

[The voice of the nearby... is that a boy? Looks like a boy, although it's hard to tell anyway since their body is fairly compact and partially swamped in a brown coat for a grown man much, much taller than them. At any rate, the nearby teenager sounds mildly puzzled as they take in the text.]

It isn't like any language I've seen before, and I can read the rest of it just fine.

[So...???]

[bywolves]

[ oh hey it's a - child? a teenager? interesting. ]

Mm. [ It's the same for him, which is why he's so annoyed. ] There must be someone who speaks it. Or can decipher it.

Must not be very important.

[quickpersuader]

Hopefully not, but I'm sure we'll find out one way or another soon enough.

[Because if it's important, it'll probably come to bite them in the ass, and if it's not, it's not.]

Did you just find yourself... [Uh. They just kind of gesture at everything.] here? or somewhere besides where you expected to be.

[bywolves]

Yes. [ Royce says, with a sigh. ] I was in a cave, and then suddenly, I was not. I assume it's the same for you.

[ He's going to be cagey about giving away too much information here, but... he might as well get an idea of what everybody knows. ]

iii!

[givethemhell]

[Yeah his spidey senses are tingling. He's attuned to having sneaky eyes on him!! Damn! Sometimes people just wanna shoot you from the distance, it's fine.

The somewhat eerie way that he seems to look up and over toward Royce without having to do any searching is offset by the fact that he immediately and dramatically takes a step back.]

Ooh - how did you get up there! Is the view good? Let me join you—!

[Cue him immediately trying to find a foothold along the side of this building so he can scramble his way up...]

Here - give me a hand.

[HE'S WAY TOO FAR DOWN FOR THAT TO EVEN REMOTELY WORK EVEN IF ROYCE DID WANT TO HELP.]

[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. ]

[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]

[ 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. ]

ii

[suddenlybees]

[ Ohh, no. Kano doesn't want to be that person who's going to get what meager information he has wrung out of him, but unfortunately, he's the only person around, and so he sort of rubs the heel of his palm on his forehead, mirroring Royce's gesture. ]

Bad headache?

[bywolves]

[ Royce turns to look, expression evening out from vaguely panicked to something far more composed. Right. People. Someone to bully, honestly. He also hasn't realized the tattoo is visible or even there. ]

Something like that. I can - hear too much. [ Which is not a sentence he ever thought he'd say, but here he is. ] Who are you?

[suddenlybees]

Hm, well, headaches can make you light sensitive, so why not noise, right?

[ And Kano's a chatty one, prone to making any headaches that much worse. ]

I'm nobody special, just a wanderer~ You can call me Gel-P!

[bywolves]

[ Just a wanderer his ass. Everybody has been brought here for some sort of reason - probably for violence. He's just waiting for a battle royale of some kind. Which would be why he's sizing Kano up. ]

Gel-P. [ He says it like jelpy, which is most assuredly wrong. ] Right. Have any enemies, Gel-P?

ii

[goldenrepair]

[Hello fellow crown-bearer.

There's a notch to Jiang Cheng's brows, but he isn't bent over and suffering. It does look like he's trying really hard to be Zen, however, with a small sheen of sweat broken out on his forehead. Hm!]

When we find them, they'll be punished.

[bywolves]

[ At least Jiang Cheng doesn't have a big leafy tattoo on his face. ]

They've refused to show their face so far, which is wise. [ Royce says, voice practically dripping with malice. He can't stop touching his forehead. He doesn't realize the tattoo is there - it stopped burning, but he's concerned about the pain. ]

[goldenrepair]

[True, but he does have something stitched into the front of the sash at his waist, only partially obscured by the white belt. He has a sword, too! And an orbed, tasseled charm hanging at his side.]

Trying to hide from losing face, are they? Tch...

[The pinch to his brows slackens for a second before returning. He watches Royce touch the mark, and he can feel the ghost of a familiar burn on his stomach from the sash.]

It's on your head. It could be a curse.

[bywolves]

[ ... it's on his head. ]

What? [ Royce says, without waiting for an answer. Excuse him. He needs a mirror, like - now, wtf. ] What do you mean it's on my head? What is?