[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

[givethemhell]

[GOOOD after he's freed himself, he'll merrily trot along after his NEW GRUMPY FRIEND.]

Haha, is that so? Then we can just investigate separately in the same direction.

[unfriendliest]

[ that sounds exactly like something tsuru would say.

ugh. ]

No, thanks.

[givethemhell]

[He does have a Tsuru-like energy, it's true.]

What, are you going to make me turn and search the other end, then?

[unfriendliest]

[ wwx's got him there and he hates that.

so obviously, he's not going to answer. dealing with wwx isn’t his job? figure it out yourself, binch. ]

[givethemhell]

[WHAT THE HECK Ookurikara is the biggest punk. He is UNDETERRED THOUGH and merrily trots along in the same direction...]

What is it you're looking for, anyway? Conductors, the front of the train in general...?

[unfriendliest]

[ what do those words mean. ]

I'll know when I find it.

[ no he won't ]

[givethemhell]

[Why are so many people in this new batch... Like This. He hums a lilting note that neither agrees nor disagrees, helpfully scooting ahead to open the door into the next cart.

It's a chicken wing bar.]

Oh - this one again! Probably not what you're looking for, hm?

[unfriendliest]

[ he barely spares wwx a glance as he heads in, only pausing to frown at the chicken wings.

what is it?

he's not going to try one, though, so he just shakes his head and moves toward the other end of the car. ]

[givethemhell]

Chicken wings!

[Helpfully just. Answering the question aloud that Kara didn't mean to voice, it's fine.]

They're pretty tasty, but have nothing to do with driving the train. Probably.

[unfriendliest]

[ well he looks vaguely disturbed by that! but sure, it's fine.

he's still not going to try the food, though, because weird? also he has priorities. so he's going to just turn toward the head of the car and leave i guess. ]

[givethemhell]

[Enjoy! The next car is set up like a miniature bowling alley, somehow, with a couple of lanes stretching from one end of it to the other. There is no pin reset and only one sad lonely gutter filled with concession stand trash...

Wei Wuxian does not know what this is, but he picks up a pin as he wanders in after.]

Huh... This one's new. I wonder if they just added it?

[unfriendliest]

[ haha what? kara doesn't have the slightest clue what this is, so he's just going to. gingerly step around whatever's in his way. i wish i had an excuse to make him walk down a lane and slide but i don't so this is a boring tag i'm sorry aki :( ]

I wouldn't know.

[givethemhell]

[It's okay Kara doesn't have to do anything, because a bowling ball comes thwoomping out from that little thing that dispenses them, right toward his poor feet.]

Oh—! Watch out!

[unfriendliest]

[ !! by some miracle he manages to jump out of the way but now that you've given me an excuse he is absolutely landing in the bowling lane and well

off he goes :)

comically flailing limbs and all ]

[givethemhell]

[I HOPE HE STRIKES THE PINS THAT ARE SET UP because if he does he gets a little poof of confetti raining down on him, along with a brightly lit sign that flashes STRIKE!!! overhead.

Wei Wuxian will trot along after him in the gutter so he doesn't go slip-sliding...]

Ah... Are you alright?

[unfriendliest]

[ he is absolutely striking the pins and i was going to give him a 9-10 split but i can't pass up getting confetti in kara's hair so a strike it is!! and now he is still grumpy, but like, festive grumpy! nice! he's only going to give a half-hearted attempt at brushing it off his clothes as he replies through his teeth. ]

Fine.

[givethemhell]

[Here he will help out, carefully patting some of the confetti away...]

Normally these carts aren't... [GESTURES VAGUELY.] Like this? Goodness. Maybe I should write you a good fortune talisman.

[Take an omamori from the negasaniwa.]

[unfriendliest]

[ appreciate the effort, but kara is just going to swat his hands away. no touchy!! ]

...You mean an omamori?

[ really hate that he suddenly, absolutely believes that this guy is a saniwa from another citadel ]

[givethemhell]

[FINE NO TOUCHY!! Wei Wuxian makes a bit of a face but he pulls his hands back like a nice human instead of being full gremlin.

Also, stupidly, he's already been told about omamori because he offered to write a protection talisman for someone else earlier. His expression brightens!]

Like that, yes! To be honest, I haven't really seen anything around here that would merit really needing protection, but it's better safe than sorry, you know?

[unfriendliest]

[ better safe than sorry... alright. he'll give a cautious nod once he's stepped out of the bowling lane. ]

Better not to break for real.

[ he doesn't believe the pillar and you can't make him ]

[givethemhell]

[Over toward the side he goes! It's too small for a table to fit in here so he just kind of hunkers down next to the lane so he can pull out a blank talisman.]

Better to not break for real, hm? [Just absently parroting it back as he rummages around for INK. He'd rather not have to bleed to write this one if he can help it... But with that wording, and the fact that he can tell Ookurikara isn't human thanks to his spidey senses:] Is that normally a concern for you?

[unfriendliest]

No, because I don't plan on letting that happen.

[ if he's stubborn enough then he will succeed, you see ]

[givethemhell]

[Honestly that's how he tackled his problems for a long time. Not that it worked out well for him, but it's a way of handling things!]

Hah, you do seem like the type to brute-force your way through any troubles you may run up against! As long as it's worked out for you this far...

[Concerning, though?? A little concerning. Anyway after shaking his sleeves enough, a red pen tumbles out. Thanks Costco!! It's not as nice as cinnabar or as spooky as blood but it does the trick in a pinch. A beat later and he's already starting to scrawl out an intricate design.]

Anything else you need while I've got these out? I'll do what I can!

[unfriendliest]

[ i wish he'd written it in blood because kara absolutely would not accept it. but for now he's just watching this and frowning. ]

That doesn't look like an omamori.

[ what kind of saniwa are you ]

[givethemhell]

[Tragically Wei Wuxian's demonic roots will remain hidden for now...]

Hah, I did say it was like one, yes? Different places with different items that serve what's more or less the same purpose.