[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

ABSOLUTELY NOT HE CAN'T DIE

[dianxias]

A sweater! Ah, how nice. I hope it isn't making you sweat too much. [ WHAT WAS THAT DAD JOKE

when wen ning bows to him, xie lian returns the favor! he's polite, placing his hands together with all the royal formalities of a prince despite the fact that he looks like a hobo. ] En, daozhang is fine. Xie-daozhang, if you would prefer.

[ it's close enough, anyway. he rises from his bow with a kind smile. ] What can I call you?

we'll see about That

[deadened]

[THE DAD JOKE... that gets a little smile out of him, at least, which makes him look less nervous in general. It's a start!]

Wen Ning. Courtesy name Qionglin, b-but... most use my birth name.

[It's just what he's gotten used to? It's fine; he doesn't mind what he's called.]

[dianxias]

[ with a tilt of his head! ] Is that alright with you? Being called so familiarly.

[ is someone bullying you? he'll end them give them a good talking to. ]

[deadened]

It's all right, really-!

[there's a faint jangling from the chains as he raises his hands, so he quickly just-- tangles his fingers into the scarf's fabric, instead. he's eventually going to wear this thing thin messing with it.]

I'm... more used to answering to Wen Ning, but I don't mind it either way.

[he's not being called ghost general so, you know.]

[dianxias]

Wen Ning, then. [ it's not a name he recognizes... though it's at least familiar in sound. xie lian will take it! everyone here is so odd.

his kindness is utterly genuine, smile very sincere, and his eyes shift to watch him nervously fiddle before coming back up. he's not watching the gesture so much as he is the chains. ] It's very nice to meet you. I have to ask, you recognized me as a daozhang. Are you a cultivator?

[deadened]

[oh. he's gotten so used to meeting people from strange places, on top of ones who already know him, that he hadn't thought about meeting someone familiar with cultivation but not his reputation... there's a brief pause before he answers.]

--I was a disciple of the f-former Qishan Wen sect, yes, but I... I haven't been a cultivator in some time.

[dianxias]

[ qishan wen.......

yeah, no, he has no idea what that is. qishan who.

despite that, xie lian's smile widens, and he responds, cheerfully: ] Well then! That makes two of us. [ ???? ] At least when it comes to cultivation.

[deadened]

R-really?

[that's a surprise, not to mention how cheerful he sounds about it?? wen ning blinks, head slightly tilted.]

Were you also unable to...? [a beat after asking, his eyes widen a little.] Y-you don't have to answer, I-! Forgive me if I'm prying, Xie-daozhang.

[dianxias]

Mmm, it's alright. [ xie lian scratches his cheek. he can't not tell him. look at this face.

....well it won't hurt once, right? (somewhere, ling wen is sighing.) ] ...it's a bit of the opposite, actually. I ascended, so... I don't really need to cultivate anymore....

[ congrats you're talking to god ]

[deadened]

Y-you really...?

[he what? he's what? and he's just been standing here talking to him--

he bows once more, a little flustered.]

To have brought even s-someone like you here... this place really is too much.

[dianxias]

Haha... well, it's not all that surprising. I'm only a scrap collector, so it's nothing much. [ also his rotten, rotten luck means that yeah, showing up somewhere totally fucking random is pretty on par for his life.

anyway. ] Have you just arrived here too?

[deadened]

[an ascended... scrap collector...

well, he may never have heard of that, but no one had heard of an intelligent fierce corpse before he existed. he supposes he doesn't have room to think anything is too strange.]

I- I have. I've been shown the, ah, the giant market-- [a gesture at the not-costco, which probably explains his outfit] and I've been told a little about... this place, but little else.

[dianxias]

We have that in common too, then. [ xie lian nods! he's not going to go into any more detail on being a god. or a scrap collector. the god thing is new. (kind of?) it's complicated.

instead, let's focus on the now! xie lian glances back at the fantasy costco, which was overwhelming but also quite fascinating, and then at his new friend. ] Young master Wen, maybe we could explore together, then. Two heads are better than one, no? I'd like to get a layout of everything. Let's help each other!

[deadened]

Of course-!

[he brightens considerably at that, giving xie lian a pleased little nod. this is already one of his better meetings with strangers, all things considered, and... well, he seems nice. wen ning definitely wouldn't mind keeping his company for some exploration.]

I heard there was... something called a train, that travels around? That might help, or-- or I don't mind walking, either.

[dianxias]

Oh, the giant cart, yes! [ xie lian nods!!! this is how he's coping with this information. really, it's amazing how humans tend to innovate! he's not entirely sure how this was invented overnight in his time but you know what, who knows. it sure would have been convenient going up mt. yu jun!

he clasps his hands together. ] I investigated it a bit earlier, but I wanted to see more. Let's go look for that!

[ ~* friendship *~]

[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.]

[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. ]

[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.]

man i fucked up all the html on these tags LOL

[dianxias]

[ wn just now got to not be dead let's not kill him already!!! between xl and wwx.....

xie lian nods, tapping his hand against his fist. ] Right. Then let's get to it! [ which means he'll walk comfortably at wen ning's pace so they can walk side by side! ]

it's ok i could still read it!!

[deadened]

[between xie lian and wei wuxian he is so doomed and he doesn't even know it yet.

bless him for not just making him keep up, though... wen ning's pace is a little on the slower side for now (he's not used to the chains actually being anything of a hindrance), so they're just having a nice stroll along toward the train tracks.

it's on its way in the distance and at this pace they might well miss it, though, so he speeds up a bit... he's doing his best.]

I think that's it, over there-- d-do you think it'll wait...?

;__;

[dianxias]

[ hm. he watches the train come...it's moving awfully fast. xie lian looks between the train and wen ning, the train and wen ning. ]

I have a feeling it won't.[ maybe it would for normal people, but xie lian is xie lian, which means it will absolutely roll right past them unnoticed. his eyes dart to wen ning's shackled hand again, then he reaches out and holds out his own. ] Here--grab on! I can carry you if you can't keep up!

[ normally, xie lian would just use ruoye like a grappling hook to grab on to the train, but he's absolutely ruoye-less right now, so it's about time to improvise! ]