fracturarpg | [mingle] the space (january).

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[mingle] the space (january).

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.

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I-I'm sorry I'm late, then, if you two have already been here.

[He sounds a little concerned, but-- well, if there were any two people who would be fine on their own, surely it's Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, so it's only a little! He just sort of assumes Wei Wuxian would mention anyone else he needed to know about.

Wen Ning continues to follow, trying to gather up the chain lengths hanging from his wrists a little so they aren't just dangling along the way, doing his best not to think about Wei Wuxian wanting to give him a more thorough examination. Please save him-- but also, maybe he can figure out what happened to bring him back to life.]

Do you... not remember what happened? You were there. You told me that-- that it looked ugly.

Aiyo, stop that - you apologize too much.

[It's not Wen Ning's fault he wasn't here, god!! There's another little tutting noise, and he reaches out after that to help Wen Ning gather up some of his chains. He can at least do this if he can't be Wen Ning's crutch... ONWARD THOUGH, as he leads the way to the... lawn furniture.]

Did I? That does sound like something I'd say. [He glances back over... IT'S A NASTY-LOOKING SCAR he can only imagine what caused it?? God, did Wen Ning just get his wholeass abdomen punched through?? Oh, but right, probably important--]

This place takes people from everywhere and any time - all different worlds, years, you name it. Lan Zhan is a little further ahead than I am, so I'm guessing whatever happened to you happens in my future. [...] Well! It is possible I've just forgotten it, too. Memory loss seems to be a bit of a problem here. If we're to believe what we've been told, our souls have been fragmented and we're all missing this or that.

[They're just going to chill on the lawn furniture, it's fine...

That sure is a troubling answer, though, and Wen Ning's brows furrow again as he takes it in. Different worlds, different times-- and if even the two of them don't match up, then maybe it wouldn't be surprising if he really is from Wei Wuxian's future. The soul fragmenting thing is EVEN WORSE, and there's a flicker of a thought there: Is that why I can't remember who...?]

Then... what was the last thing you remember happening, before you arrived here?

[Yeah they absolutely are. Wei Wuxian scouts out the softest-looking hammock bench and trots over there with Wen Ning in tow, stepping to the side and gesturing for him to take a seat.]

Falling out of a tree. [HE SAYS WITH A GRIN... But he'll helpfully add:] We were in Lotus Pier and we'd just finished discussing what to do about our dear friend Sect Leader Jin. I've been told a little about what happened after; Lan Zhan isn't much farther ahead.

[Like the fact that a certain SOMEONE blabbed to a certain BROTHER about a certain THING HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO MENTION... But it's fine, it's fine. There are other things to focus on right now, like--]

—Who, what? Who was with you when you turned yourself in?

[Hm boy he'd been hoping his initial guess was wrong.]

[He takes a seat as directed, quietly marveling at how comfortable it is... it's been a long time since he could enjoy simple things like that, and Wen Ning spends a moment just... running his hand over the fabric of it, though he's still listening.

-he definitely flinches slightly at the mention of being told what else happened around that time because YES, A CERTAIN SOMEONE DEFINITELY SAID CERTAIN THINGS... but he also doesn't look up at that question, biting his lip.]

I-I know that I didn't go alone, but... I don't know who it was. I can't... think of who else would have been there. None of the others should have...

[-oh. The mention of the others reminds him, and his eyes fly wide open abruptly as he reaches for his shirt, pats the fabric of his clothes, seeking something out-- but he exhales a relieved breath when he pulls out a few pouches, just casually using the hole in his clothes to do so.

They're still here, at least. Good. Maybe they should also add finding him some sort of bag to the shopping list so he's not just wandering around with these in his eventual sweater.]

[Wow literally everything about this is sad, from the way Wen Ning touches the fabric of the hammock to the fact that he forgot his WHOLEASS SISTER to the bags he pulls out of his clothes from the hole in his shirt that was probably also through his gut at one point.

Wei Wuxian will probably suggest something for him to place those in soon enough himself, but first! Fun times ahead! They're about to find out exactly what happens when someone who knows a thing another person forgot tries to remind them of it. He carefully looks Wen Ning over while he talks, paying attention to his expressions, his body language.]

Your sister, Wen Qing. The two of you were asked to turn yourselves over together.

--what?

[All he gets from watching Wen Ning's expression is a blank sort of confusion, before he frowns slightly and reaches up to uncertainly touch one of his ears.]

I can't-- I didn't understand you... d-do you think there might be something wrong with my hearing?

[Haha oh boy does that suck. He can't even give Wen Ning a head's up... He doesn't bother trying a second time, simply reaching out to gently clap a hand on his shoulder, a complicated look on his face.]

It's not you - it's this place, most likely. I'd say we've just run into one of your missing pieces, but it seems you'll have to rediscover it on your own. [Bad!]

You're probably missing a few other things, too.

[He doesn't even yet consider that his fuckin corpseness might be one of them because CLEARLY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO LOSE, so much as being alive is something important to gain. He thinks he gained Chenqing outta nowhere so he assumes? Something similar-ish may be happening here??]

I-I'll try to.

[That comes with a small nod; this time the hand on his shoulder is a little more reassuring than startling, and he lets out a slightly shaky breath. Now that the initial panic has faded, everything is settling in more-- his newly-alive status, the reality of being in this place-- and he doesn't pull away from that contact.]

Oh... but I don't think that you don't remember my injury because of this place, young master. [Wen Ning glances up to him there, pausing briefly, looking slightly uncertain.] About what you said you remembered-- I... I think I must be ahead of you both.

[rip Wen Ning, hopefully he enjoys his 5 seconds of peace.]

Is that so? Let me guess, then; that scar of yours is from some sort of scuffle with our dear Sect Leader Jin himself - or something involving him, at least. I can't imagine it would have been much longer before our paths crossed.

[This stupid asshole and his one braincell that he only uses for things like this when he should be using it to read the room and not put his Wen Nings in flamingo shirts. OR DO THIS:]

Speaking of - take off your clothes, would you? Let me have a look.

[He nods in affirmation, but before he can say anything else to explain... well.

Wei Wuxian tells him to fuckin strip, and his eyes go wide as he tries to scramble back a little, another thought slipping out. Th-that was one thing when I was a corpse, but now--!

He's alive and he can't just go around taking anything off in public! This is still a store! What if someone were to walk by!!

...unfortunately for Wen Ning, in his attempt to shift back and away from Wei Wuxian, he just tips backwards right off the hammock bench they're on. Good thing he was still holding those pouches close, so they don't go rolling off-- but he is definitely now a heap of limbs, fabric, and chains on the floor. Rip.]

[OH WEN NING AND HIS SILLY SENSE OF PROPRIETY... He's amused by the thought he picks up on if only because he interprets it as "MY TINY LIVING PERSON DIGNITIES" basically, but then THERE HE GOES. Wei Wuxian squawks in surprise and tries to grab him but misses like a fool.]

Wen Ning—! [GOD. With a huff he stands and moves to help this poor fool back up.] Stop that! We don't know how well you're being held together, you know? You may be delicate!

[AS IF IT'S WEN NING'S FAULT.]

I-I don't feel too delicate...

[He looks apologetic as Wei Wuxian helps pull him back up, though, and he gently sets the pouches aside this time, somewhere they'll be safe if Wei Wuxian decides to startle him like that again.]

-mm. No more delicate than... a normal person, I mean.

[Wen Ning definitely doesn't have the sturdiness that comes from being a fierce corpse, anymore-- he'll be injured just as easily as he used to be-- but he doesn't really think he feels weaker than he should.

He is still not taking off his clothes though, no thank you, please spare his life.]

[HIS RELATIVES HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH...]

Normal people are very delicate. [He can't even be like I WOULD KNOW because even as a normal person he walked off being disemboweled. It's fine.

Also Wen Ning absolutely is not being spared! That'd be too easy.]

At least waist-up! I want to see that scar.

Isn't there anywhere else...?

[...but he really can't protest against Wei Wuxian for too long, and it seems like they're alone in this section right now, and what if he gets this over with before anyone has a chance to arrive--

So he reluctantly sheds the shirt, at least, fumbling with the chains as he does, though he holds it in his arms like he's ready to cover himself with it again at a moment's notice.

It's not just that one scar on his body, though it is the most noticeable-- it's large enough for something to have punched through his chest (Wei Wuxian wasn't wrong on that guess), and is currently a roundish mess of scar tissue, with a matching scar on his back. Beyond that, Wei Wuxian likely recognizes other wounds: scars from his corpse self that were incapable of healing on their own, some more scarring around various joints of his arms where they'd detached and been put back into place.]

It's fine, it's fine! Hardly anyone wanders back this way.

[And if they do WEN NING CAN JUST PERISH. Wow he's no help at all - especially since he's immediately dropping into what Wen Ning will probably recognize as his "I have something I'm focusing on now, goodbye" mode.

He carefully looks over the scarring, lifts Wen Ning's arms up one at a time, holds his hands and gently flexes each at the elbow and wrist. He holds them out straight, rotates the shoulders, pulls them forward and then up. When he moves to his back, he presses two fingers against the scar tissue there. WHO IN THE FCK PUT A HOLE IN HIS ZOMBIE...]

You can feel all of that? Any pain, soreness, stiffness?

[Though beginning at "pain", it's overlapped by the thought: I've never seen anything like this...]

I- yes. I can feel it.

[Except for being able to feel Wei Wuxian's touch and the sensation of air against his skin, this is all familiar, from the focus to the motions. He could almost pretend it's exactly as it used to be, really.

The thought he catches isn't really surprising, considering that he's never heard anything about a way to return a dead body to life; he just hopes maybe Wei Wuxian can find a hint or two, though he's distracted from his own thoughts as the scar tissue's touched, shifting a little.]

It feels strange, there, but w-with such an injury...

[It only makes sense that even on a living body, there'd be discomfort from it. He glances down-- and pauses as he catches sight of some color? Because I, A FOOL, forgot I was putting his faction symbol over his heart... so there's a coat of arms symbol there, a shield with a divided white and red background. On the red part of the field there's a bundle of arrows, and on the white side there are two suns.]

What is--?

Edited (III FORGOT EMBLEMS) 2020-01-11 23:31 (UTC)

[There's a little thoughtful-sounding hum as Wei Wuxian traces around the edge of the scar before pulling his hand away.]

As long as it doesn't feel any different from the way scar tissue should feel on a living body...

[He guesses? It's fine?? Damn he really has no fuckin idea. He's suspicious for obvious reasons about Wen Ning's sudden Aliveness™, but everything appears to be in working order... With a sigh, he plops back down next to Wen Ning on the hammock seat, hand to his chin in thought.]

—It really does seem like a normal, living body. [WEIRD. But haha yeah, the tattoos sure are a thing, aren't they! He blinks, following Wen Ning's gaze and there's just a little mental oh. Then:]

I only have a guess as to what these may be, but we all had them when we came back from our last venture. Looks like you get them right from the start.

We're all... marked in some way, then...? You as well?

[That's kind of disconcerting, what is going On with this place... but at least it's easily covered, and he's quick to pull that shirt right back on once Wei Wuxian is finished with his inspection.

...in a way, though, having a normal body is less of a relief than it should be, because if there are no signs of anything wrong-- then how is he this way? Corpses don't just spontaneously come back to life... and he hasn't quite thought of it being a missing part of himself yet, either.]

Mmhm! Don't think I've run into anyone who isn't. It's not any sort of curse mark, at least. [Since it sure doesn't seem to have any of the resentful energy that curse marks kinda Need...] Ah - but it does seem to burn sometimes!

[It's fine, though, they're all doing fine with their mystery burning tattoos of unknown origin.]

I think the image is probably significant for a lot of people. Placement too, in some cases.

["Some cases" because he's fuckin thinking of Lan Wangji's stupid forehead cloud, which makes him grin.]

I... think you might be right about that.

[Like, the symbols in his are pretty clearly relevant to him, and the placement...

Well. It doesn't seem so out of place, to him. Part of him wants to ask what Wei Wuxian's mark is, but the rest of him is more focused on The Situation In General-- and anyway, he doesn't want to pry.]

Is there any pattern to when they burn?

[that part is kind of concerning, for one thing.]

[He's shown his mark to literally no one yet like the shithead he is, god. HIS SECRETS!! That's why his sleeves are so big, to hide all of them!!

In any case Wen Ning can be concerned enough for both of them seeing as how Wei Wuxian is decidedly much less worried than he should be. Look, it ain't a curse?? He's not too fussed.]

Not entirely, but it seems like it goes away if you touch the symbol. Have you tried that yet?

[It's not a curse but it still shouldn't burn, please be concerned about it!!

He shakes his head at the question, though, reaching up to touch it-- and blinking in confusion? What is happening here??

Wen Ning is a little too surprised to say anything, but his thoughts take care of it for him.

Some sort of-- message? How did they do this...?]

[LOOK IT'S FINE. It's fine!! They're doing fine! He just grins, answering verbally because he can.]

Haha, another good question! One I don't have an answer to, but it does seem to be fairly unobtrusive as far as things like this go.

[Everything that doesn't involve compulsive actions and possessions are unobtrusive as far as he's concerned, okay. His standards are low.]

How's the burning now?

Ah- y-you could hear that? What a strange effect...

[His hand is still at his heart, where it hasn't left the emblem yet, and he takes a moment to evaluate before he nods.]

It's better, now.

[And after a moment, he focuses a little, with another thought: Does this work intentionally, as well?]

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