▶ TDM .009

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. Even the few shy moon creatures you find in the wild have strange crystal growths on their hides. This is far from home— perhaps a dream? You pinch your skin and slap your cheeks, yet nothing seems to do the trick. Searching for answers yields nothing but an endless expanse of purple dust as far as the eye can see. You have four options: one, panic; two, soil yourself; three, admire it all then soil yourself; or four, go into survival mode. Eventually, you’ll realize that you’re not alone.

After a day or two of living off the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. After the strange phenomenon during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? Why did I inhale all those permanent markers in the third grade? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay.

While waiting for transport to be prepared, you may freely roam around the government center. Eventually you’re called back from exploring, escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the moons and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals. The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Whip It Good
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

B At the Crystarium Moonports is a new family restaurant called Grapplebears, here to serve your favorite dishes from all around the galaxy at affordable prices! The menu ranges from the atomically hot and spicy Chamakshalan curry rice, delectable dragonsaur steak served with mashed space-tatoes, to the sweet and creamy Lunatian milkshakes that bring all the boys to the yard, all prepared by their handsome and huggable bear crew.

As you might have noticed, the restaurant staff is a ragtag group with members from planets unknown to both Prismals and Moonblessed. The waiters and waitresses in particular are tall, muscular, leather-clad bears who take your order by whipping you with a special riding crop that compels you to bark out your order — but only if you ask to be, of course! They might induce you to reveal other unrelated interests so make sure you’re not thinking about anything embarrassing!

If you chat up the staff or customers, you learn more about the restaurant’s origins. The bears say their planets* were also wiped by the Calamity hundreds of years ago, and life for them has been difficult for them since then…

*Further information about these planets is unavailable at this time.

▶ Night of the Living Dummy
City of Lunatia | top

The last vestiges of Geistnacht have officially passed and the first chilly autumn breeze ushers in the new season. The city is awash in giant piles of browning leaves that decorate every walkway.

A To deal with the mass collection of fallen leaves, many buildings across the city have been retrofitted with a new disposal system to help clean up. A sprawling network of automated vacuum tubes around the city will efficiently suck all those pesky leaves right up. While children love playing inside and using them to “teleport” around Lunatia, they have also been known to spontaneously suck up anyone who’s not too careful. You may find yourself falling on some hapless bystander on their afternoon walk, or crammed in a tube with your new neighbors. Lunar Scientia officials warn everyone to be careful of where you walk, else you might need to crawl your way to sweet freedom.

B A pop-up shop in Level 1 is attracting much of the locals' attention, run by a peddler who speaks in a low, elongated hiss and wears a hood over his face. He assures you that his face is of no consequence. What is more important is his selection of wares! In contrast to his cloaked, enigmatic appearance, his travel cart is a Barbie pink explosion of frills, hearts, glitter. He will tell all visitors he comes from the Valley of the Crimson Serpents, which Prismals and older Moonblessed arrivals find odd. Wasn’t the Sanguis moon uninhabitable?

Among the peddler’s wares are adorable, wide-eyed and heavily perfumed dolls in all sorts of clothes a child dreaming of rainbows and tea parties could ever ask for. Hug and squeeze a doll, and you will be greeted by a pre-recorded voice telling you how they’re your bestest friend ever. It’s like they were made for lovin’ you! But if you look away for one moment, you can almost swear you hear a snake’s hiss, its long tongue licking the shell of your ear… The next time you see the doll, its body will be in a slightly different position or location. Is it… following you? Fortunately, a minimal amount of moonlacing will make it leave you alone. You can wait it out too, but why would you?

Destroy a doll and it will later reappear wherever you are when you least expect it, good as new, but leaking from their porcelain heads is a strange pink, glitter-covered liquid. The peddler calls it the “love juice” giving the doll an extra dose of affection for you.

▶ Bird is the Word
Level 2, Greatmoon Groves | top

As autumn paints Lunatia with its golden hues, pumpkin decorations and desserts are now in vogue. This is thanks to Chroma-infused pumpkin seeds, which allow them to rapidly grow in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colors. The Moonblessed are invited to visit one of the largest pumpkin patches in the city housed within the Greatmoon Groves, where they can enjoy the sight of oversized, colorful neon and sparkling semi-phallic pumpkins, expertly carved to greet you with their buck-toothed smiles.

A The pumpkin patch is full of toddler-sized creatures called hugbugs. When they are not tending to the pumpkins, they follow the Moonblessed around, requesting hugs and treats in exchange for their obedience.

Reward them and they will do simple errands for you and give you compliments. They will also be your personal hype men, talking up your strengths, talents, and physical assets to all those special someones you’re trying to impress. Once you earn their trust, they will be your friends for life!

Ignore them, hurt them, or bully them, and they will cry and place a curse upon you, reducing your self-esteem to nothing and magically forcing you to cry along with them. The effects of the curse may last for up to a week if you’re not careful! But how could you do such a thing? The hugbugs are sensitive and want somebody to love.

B If you manage to survive your encounter with the hugbugs, you are welcome to join in on the Prismal knitting group and enjoy creating your own fanciful scarf made of Galadrian thread, which is known for its bright, golden sheen and aromatic properties. Give it to a friend or wear it yourself, and you will notice a strange ability to attract animals and insects of all kinds. Live out your Disney Princess fantasy! Or a Hitchcockian nightmare. It’s all a matter of perspective as a whole flock of honking birds comes bounding towards you.

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It’s a little dizzying, trying to keep up with him, but her expression softens into one of faint amusement and she hums again in acknowledgement. She puts her bag down, careful of the antique camera inside that doubles as her weapon against spirits, and moves to his side to show him some of how it works.]

I’m not an expert, but there are things in my own home that aren’t too far off from here. Those can make the lights dimmer or brighter. [As he’d already discovered. She presses another button and the lights change from white to a soft orange-y color that gives the impression of a sunset.] This changes the color. A color wheel will pop up here— [Sure enough on the interface a wheel of colors and some sliders to adjust it pops up. She presses one of the tabs and different scenery types come up.] And this one can make the place look like somewhere else.

Mm, I’m sure the school could tell you how to build one and how it all works. I’m afraid my areas of study don’t include that sort of thing, so I can only show you how it works. [She seems genuinely apologetic about it too.]

Master Wei— [Since he’s called her ‘lady’ she adopts that to use, then pauses. Why did that sound familiar?] Young Master.... [She mumbles it and furrows her brow, considering, before she looks surprised] Oh! Do you know Wen Ning?

[wen ning's name has a clear effect on wei wuxian, in that he pretty much lights up with in hopeful joy.]

Ah, he's here? Is Lady Wen Qing here as well? If they've made it here, then... [could this place have anything to do with the yin iron? ah, but this place is far beyond any place wei wuxian could have imagined, and powerful as the qishan wen sect may be, he doubts they can summon a person wholly through cultivation alone.

the plot thickens. or perhaps he's focusing on the wrong plot entirely!]

Would it be too much to ask if you knew where Wen Ning is staying? I'd like to speak with him. I'll be in your debt! Lady Kozukata, I won't forget your kindness, please help me!

[He asks about Wen Qing and she keeps her expression carefully neutral. She’s heard the woman’s name before, but not in the best of contexts; and the fact he’s asking after her so cheerfully tells her all she needs to know. She’s made a mistake and she kind of feels awkward about asking now.

Still, she shakes her head regretfully] I don’t think she’s here... I haven’t met her, at least.

Um, but.... I’m not sure where exactly Wen Ning is living. He usually shows up whenever I need help to save me... [She trails off, looking a little amused since yeah, the last couple of times she’s interacted with him he’s been helping her out in one way or another.] But I can send a message to him and he can get into contact with you from there.

[She gestures for him to go to the kitchen/dining room area] In the meantime, why don’t I make you coffee? [YURI NO] Ah, or tea, I suppose?

I won't lie, I'm somewhat relieved to hear that she may not be here. It might not be for the best where Wen Ning is concerned, but...

[it's not wei wuxian's place to say that wen ning could do without his sister's influence, because that's packed with assumptions that are best left in the privacy of one's thoughts. it's not even lady wen qing's fault entirely, to be honest; vile characters like wen chao do more harm than lady wen qing could, where wen ning is concerned.

he's happy for wen ning, even if this happiness is a double-edged blade.]

Ah, never mind that. Is he well, the last time you met? Are you two close friends? I'm very happy for the two of you if so! He's a young man with great skills; has he shown you how to shoot an arrow yet?

[wei wuxian... you've met for all of five minutes... try not to set someone up with people who deserve to make the choice themselves... you dumb rock...]

—What's coffee?

Edited (my archery coach is screaming in my head) 2019-11-08 14:01 (UTC)

[She tilts her head curiously, but doesn’t comment on that. She chalks it up to being glad she’s home relatively safe and sound rather than being stuck here in this weird place.]

Ah— [The questions leave her a little flustered though, moving around the kitchen as she pulls down what she’d need to make both drinks.] I haven’t seen him shoot an arrow, no. I didn’t know he did archery, truthfully. I guess it’s not something that really comes up here... But, we’re friends. [That she can say with confidence.] He’s sweet. And... I think a lot braver than he knows...

[Yuri trails off, thoughtful, before she continues.] It's a type of drink, made from a type of bean. It’s pretty bitter, but you put things like cream and sugar in it to make it sweeter. It can be pretty strong, though... That is, it has a lot of caffeine. [A pause as she realizes he might not know what that is either.] It gives you a burst of energy and can wake you up or keep you awake for longer periods of time.

Wen Ning will grow up to be a great man someday, I'm sure of it. [wei wuxian agrees with the lady kozukata; wen ning has a good heart, and a strong mind. he hopes that whatever ails wen ning's body will be cured sooner than later, for both his sake and wen qing's.

that cruel wen ruohan, wei wuxian thinks with great feeling. he longs for the day when the siblings will be free of the qishan wen patriarch's grasp.

the further away from wen chao and his ilk, the better.]

Coffee is like an elixir, then? I'd like to try all versions of it!

[apothecaries have concoctions for health, and there are doctors in the many cities back home who could inspire wakefulness through needles, but a drink that does so - and to be so easily accessed! this place continues to surprise wei wuxian, and his interest clearly shows as he follows lady kozukata closely. he's making a mental catalogue of the things she's already taking out of the cupboards and drawers, from spoons to powders to what he's definitely sure has to be an oddly shaped kettle.]

Say, it won't kill me if I did drink so much of it, right?

[She can’t remember the last time she had someone trying to watch her make coffee, except perhaps her mentor the first couple times she’d tried it. It makes her pause, and she looks at his face with quiet contemplation.

She takes the moment to examine his face without shame—he’s pretty, but she’s come to expect that everyone from his world must be, of all the ones she’s met so far. And while she feels a bit self-conscious about this—she’s only made coffee for her mentor before and one other person—she quietly turns around and starts to work again, making sure he can watch what she’s doing.]

Mm... I think so, actually. If you get too much caffeine it can make you sick and make your heart beat too fast. But it also depends on a lot of factors— the strength of it and how much you drink in a short period of time, that sort of thing. But one cup of what I make you won’t be bad. [Except for maybe herself and everyone else he encounters afterwards, RIP to them but he’ll be their problem then]

You said you’re part of that sect. Then... You’re a cultivator?

You know about cultivation? [finally, something that wei wuxian could talk about with some authority!] I am, in fact. From the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, under Master Jiang Fengmian's tutelage. How did you come to know about cultivation? Do you practice it where you're from, as well?

[all the while, wei wuxian watches lady kozukata make the drink. he's all rapt attention, watching the way her hands turn the glass jar lids open, the way she pours the hot water, the way she stirs the pot like she's done it before. she probably has.

and the scent! when it hits the air, wei wuxian finds himself closing his eyes at the rich scent. it's a powerful scent, heavy with flavor and something else he can't quite place, and already he can't wait to try the drink lady kozukata's making for him. wei wuxian wafts some of the steam towards his face, inhaling the steam; it's so heavy he could practically taste the shadow of it on his tongue.]

That smells so good. And this is just from beans? Nothing else?

[so Yunmeng Jiang Sect isn't under Jiang Cheng's control when he's from... She files that information away for later.] Um, mm... Of a sort... [She trails off, looking down at her work with a furrowed brow. She doesn't need to concentrate as she works, having done this so many times it's like second nature to her now.]

Where I'm from, people don't believe much in ghosts and monsters and such. Not truly. Most can't even see or hear them or anything. The rare few with the ability, like me, aren't believed much if they try to get loud about it. [Sure it's fine to operate their little fortune telling shops or offer their services to those who might truly look for it, but if they started to indicate they truly did believe or took it seriously...]

Mostly, people just end up thinking you're insane or lashing out at you. [Her movements slow a little, frowning. You're just sick. You're just stressed. Try relaxing more. No one had believed her when her abilities had first started manifesting, just lots of tutting and headshakes and pitying looks for the poor insane girl. And when you're shouted down enough, it's hard not to buy into it, that maybe you are just insane, just sick.]

There was a-- A sect, of sorts, on the mountain I lived on. But they were...Wiped out a long time ago. So I suppose I'm mostly self-taught.

[She carefully pours a cup out for him, pushing it towards him] Here. You can try it straight first and then add what you want to sweeten it until you like it. [And she nods]The berries of the plant are roasted to varying degrees, and the different roasts have different tastes. Then they're ground up--and there are a variety of ways to grind them too. You add hot water, long enough for the taste to come out, but not too long that it goes too bitter.

[wei wuxian listens attentively to lady kozukata as she tells her story bit by bit. it paints a sobering picture - there was a time once, back home, when cultivation was seen as the work of evil, and it had taken dynasties and the blood, sweat, and tears of their ancestors for it to become accepted the way it is now. wei wuxian can't imagine a world where he couldn't cultivate, much less learn about harnessing spirits and qi the way he can now.

he nods in acknowledgment of lady kozukata's story, refraining from commenting further. it's not his place to placate or comfort yet, and what would there be to say? silence is weighted enough to ring true, and carry wei wuxian's heartfelt condolences.

he does say one thing, though.]

Sometimes the self is the best teacher one can have. Do not be embarrassed about your skills, Lady Kozukata.

[he graciously accepts the cup, swirling the liquid with a flick of the wrist and breathing in the aroma before bringing the cup to his lips.

wei wuxian's first experience with coffee can be summed up with one word: divine. the bitterness doesn't bother him at all, even though it could stand to be sweeter - the richness of the flavor, though, captivates him, and wei wuxian finds himself taking quick sips of the drink as it cools.

it's heavy on his stomach - heavier than black tea. already wei wuxian can see himself paring the drink with rice cakes fresh from the oven, the light sweetness contrasting with the unique bitterness of the drink.

to say that wei wuxian's captivated by coffee is to underplay the experience.]

Lady Kozukata. You have enthralled me. I am in love with this drink.

[She looks a bit surprised, and then embarrassed for entirely different reasons, turning away hastily so she can begin cleaning up behind herself, but peeking over at him anxiously to see how he likes the coffee.

With the look on his face there's no reason to think he's anything be enraptured with the drink, but Yuri still finds herself only able to relax when her confirms it out loud. Despite her usual attitude, she actually smiles this time, soft and proud.]

I'm glad. You're only the second person outside my mentor I've ever made coffee for, so I was a little nervous... [She pushes some of her hair behind her ear and leans back against the counter, watching him.] Most people drink it in the morning to wake them up. I wouldn't drink it when it's close to bed time, and I wouldn't drink a lot of it while your body is still unused to it. Otherwise you might experience a 'crash.'

A crash - well, that doesn't sound good.

[ wei wuxian looks into the dark swirls of the remaining liquid in his cup, reconsidering whether or not he should drain the cup and ask for a second helping, given the advice just imparted to him. he finally decides in favor of caution, and nurses his cup's contents, doing what he can to make it last while it's still hot. ]

I could use a drink like this for when I've been drinking the night before. Is this coffee drink easily purchased? Surely it must be something of a luxury, if it's so potent that it affects the body so strongly.

—Say, what's a good dish to eat with this?

You'll just get very tired and sleep for a while. [She tries to reassure him a little] Usually it's only if you drink a lot of it to wake you up when you haven't gotten a lot of sleep before. You--

[She pauses then, not sure exactly how into this she should go. Does he even care about the technicalities of it all? Is it weird to ramble about? She's already gotten started though, so she continues with a bit of an embarrassed look of someone aware they're talking too much about a topic no one cares about, but can't stop themselves anyhow. She at least won't go super technical into it--if he as that fascinated about the more 'simple' technology things, she's not sure he'd quite grasp things like brain chemicals and all that.] Coffee essentially blocks you from feeling tired, but that doesn't mean the tired feelings aren't still there. Once the coffee wears off, all the built-up tiredness comes flooding back all at once.

If you space it out through the day and drink water, or at least, don't drink a whole lot in one go, you'll probably be fine.

[It feels a little like needlessly lecturing him though and she feels self-conscious, pushing her hair behind her ear to answer his question]

Most places that sell tea will sell coffee too. And usually people eat something sweet with them, like cake or donuts. [A pause.] ...You probably haven't had donuts before, though, have you... [Donuts feel like a relatively 'new' food invention]

I understand, [wei wuxian acknowledges.] It's an energy booster, but it also stoppers your body's sense of exhaustion, correct? It would explain why the "crash" occurs when the drink's effects have worn off. The displaced exhaustion floods the body too quickly for the body's qi to accommodate.

[it's not chemistry, exactly, but wei wuxian is a cultivator. understanding the human body is crucial to harnessing qi, and there are principles in cultivation that are analogous enough for him to come to the same conclusions all on his own. he understands the relationships between the elements, how water corrodes icon, how fire scorches the earth, how the air smells different during the prelude to a storm.

give him a chance to learn about chemistry. he'll be so fascinated with it.]

Say, Lady Kozukata. Since you've mentioned these places, let's visit such a tea shop. If it's not an inconvenience, I'd like to be your companion for the afternoon. [he sets his cup down, and loosens his body language to be cajoling, leaning close as if to conspire with the lady kozukata regarding mischief.] You can teach me about all the dishes and pastries that go well with which drink.

[She pauses and then smiles slightly, looking pleased that he was following along. She thinks that maybe she shouldn't underestimate him, but she also didn't want to overestimate and end up up losing him in an explanation.

So she hums in acknowledgement, nodding, and then looks immediately surprised by the offer.] My... [Companion??

It's not that she isn't used to having friends no. Before arriving in this world many months ago she might've said 'no.' Had he visited her cafe, she would've hid in the back or behind the counter and let Hisoka deal with him, still too worried to talk to people, too scared of accidentally using her abilities on them and what she might find if she did.

Upon coming to this world, she's been forced to not only interact with people, but touch them too, or risk actually dying form lack of contact. It was a lot to get used to and even now she did the bare minimum when she could to get by, not wanting to be a bother or cause anyone trouble.

People talked to her now, went out of their way to do so sometimes even, and she still wasn't used to it. Some learned what she could do and avoided her, and she never really blamed them for that even if it stung. Sometimes people just didn't like her in general--she was rather gloomy and morbid and thought too much about death and dying, she'd been asked about her sorrowful looks too often to be anything but resigned to it by now.

But it's... nice. It's nice to have someone seem genuinely interested in hanging out with her and expressing that interest openly, without prompting from her.

Her fingers curl uncertainly into her palm and she looks at him quietly, leaning away slightly as he leans in] With me? [Well yeah, duh, Yuri, who else could he mean? Her ears turn red in embarrassment, but she nods.

She doesn't have anything else better to do. She glances towards her bag on the table that holds the camera in it, hesitating. It's not likely they'll actually run into, you know, spirits or anything, but it's her weapon and she feels odd going without it.]

You're the type who people have a hard time saying 'no' to. [But it's not said as a question, and not unkindly-- just a sort of exasperated, fond resignation as she moves to grab the bag and lead him out.]

I've been told that a few times, I have to admit.

[wei wuxian at least has the decency to look sheepish, because he has used his charm to gain favors from strangers and peers alike. he knows how he looks, and he knows that his standing within the yunmeng jiang clan places him in a unique position within the gentry. his charm has gotten him out of as many troubles as he's gotten into, to be sure, and lady kozukata rightly calls him out for it.

he's sure she means no offense by it, too.

wei wuxian makes to help her, to offer his arm to her, but in doing so his hand brushes against the strap of her bag and he's seized by an overwhelming sense of negative energy that he steps back, as if burned. it's both like and unlike what he's encountered thus far -like seeing a silhouette through clear crystal or class, the image refracted into something that balances itself on the line between strange and familiar.

she must be carrying an artifact, or a very powerful amulet of sorts.

he looks on to her worryingly.]

Lady Kozukata, do you have a weapon on you?

[She flinches when he reaches towards her, already trying to skitter away and hold her hand up in a warding gesture.] You shouldn't-- [Touch me, she begins, but it's obviously not a comment born out of a sense of strict decorum or propriety, but rather one of concern. For him. Like he was about to touch a livewire or something.

But he asks his question and once again he manages to startle her.

It's funny, a little, how she could hike up the mountain steeped in so much death and face down the spirits there without hardly batting an eye, and yet it's trying to interact with the living that constantly seems to surprise her.

Yuri looks down at her bag and shifts it, hesitating before she gently pulls out the camera. On the surface it looks rather ordinary, if old (by her standards, anyhow). But there's a distinctly ominous air to it, like a predator lying coiled in wait and ready to strike when one's guard was down.

Her gaze goes from it to Wei Wuxian, holding it carefully.] You could feel it...? Ah. Right, you did say you were a cultivator. It makes sense. [She looks down at it again.]

It's a weapon, yes. It's called the Camera Obscura--it's an exorcism tool. [Just an ordinary super-powerful exorcism tool nothing to see here.] I can't really explain all how a camera works even normally, but... It captures the images of spirits and the like and can weaken them. [Enough that she can dart in and use her ability to send the spirit on its way, at least. Ideally. It's never always that easy though, of course.]

So, unless you're secretly a ghost... There isn't too much for you to worry about. [Except, perhaps, the camera's owner.]

[ wei wuxian smiles, attempting to dispel the sudden heavy mood that has descended upon them.

an exorcism tool. wei wuxian is familiar with their concept, even if this particular tool is foreign to him. grand master lan qiren had taught them about talismans and artifacts, along with the disciplines of the gusu lan sect, and for all that wei wuxian seems the irresponsible pupil he had paid attention. he has idle theories and ideas, all of which are better relegated to the realm of passing fancies.

demonic tools. to use their resentful energy against them would be a better use of their power, but wei wuxian understands the innate dangers present in dabbling with such ideas.

but here, in front of him, is proof that it is possible. the camera obscura reeks of negative energy, so much of it that wei wuxian could not untangle or identify the object's latent energy from the resentful energy it has been imbued with.

it's consumed so much of its qi, wei wuxian thinks. it's transformed the object into a powerful tool. ]

Lady Kozukata, if I may ask you a favor.

Will you show me how the Camera Obscura works?

[She watches him with a carefully neutral face, but it's one that still manages to speak volumes in its stoicism. Resignation. Waiting for the other shoe to drop or for him to tell her that she's wrong for this. In her world, the tool isn't really met with negativity--Hisoka had it passed down to her, and then passed it on to Yuri in turn. The Camera had been around for hundreds of years, and sometimes terrible things happened to those who used its power.

It was fine, mostly, if you already had a strong spiritual power to begin with-- At least, that was Yuri's theory on it.

But Jin Ling had already raised his voice over it to her, had already planned to storm to Lan Wangji and demand a way to save her from herself. So she watches, and waits, and draws herself up a little in preparation as he begins to speak and--]

Ah?

Oh.

[She feels a little--deflated. That's not really the way she expected this to go at all, as evidenced by the fact he's managed to get an actual emotional reaction out of her, her expression turning openly bewildered and surprised.]

It's-- [dangerous, she almost says, but she looks down at the camera and then back at him, remembering that he'd said he was a cultivator and all. So... Likely he'd be fine. Probably. She was fine, and it's not like just a couple of uses would do anything if he tried his hand at it.]

...I thought you wanted to visit a cafe... [Is her mumbled, weak defense, and she abandons it anyhow to nod.] But yes, it's fine. I don't mind, as long as you're careful when you handle it.

If it breaks, I don't really have the tools to fix it... [She shifts it, a bit nervously, before putting it back carefully into her bag. Her fingers brush against the couple books from home she has in there too and hesitates.]

...Mostly it just... helps me to weaken spirits enough that I can use my own powers on them to cleanse the spirit so it can move on, but... It might be a bit different to what you might usually do.

[jin ling had been quite horrified at just what her 'cleansing' involved, after all]

Ah, you misunderstand, Lady Kozukata. I'd like for you to try the exorcism tool on me. I don't think I'll be able to work it correctly, anyway, and it's yours - I don't want to disrespect your weapon. They have feelings too, you know!

Better that you show me with your hands, I would say.

[ wei wuxian doesn't know its mechanisms, doesn't have the faintest idea how to use it. there are buttons and glass panes, and he assumes they can be operated quickly with ease, but there is a time for learning and a time for demonstration.

wei wuxian just prefers the latter to come first.

he takes a few steps back, readying himself for the weapon. how would it affect him? does it expend energy, funneling it into blasts of heat that sears through cloth and skin? would it instead reach for the soul directly, separating negative energy from a person's innate qi? wei wuxian would know what questions he'd like to ask once he's seen the weapon in action. ]

I'm ready, I think. Please take care of me, Lady Kozukata, we still have a date after!

[Yuri gives Wei Wuxian a look that borders on being absolutely helpless, like she's starting to catch on that this guy is as unpredictable as the sea and just as reckless.

Sure, Yuri knows that it won't actually harm him, again provided that he's not actually a spirit or something. But he doesn't. Yuri sighs deeply, before raising the camera. Predictably, she finds nothing in its viewfinder and after a second of hesitation she takes the picture.

Also predictably, there's no attack on Wei Wuxian. At this point in time he hasn't been tainted enough by anything for it to do so, but likely he'll be able to feel--Something. A pressure, a slightly disorienting flip-flopping feeling like when one goes over that first drop of a rollercoaster. The flash is probably more disorienting than anything else.

The picture in instantly produces is glanced at by Yuri, and then she does a doubletake, brow furrowing slightly. It's a fine photograph, more or less. Wei Wuxian's handsome features haven't been disturbed, but there's...

It looks like smoke, inky black, curling around the edges of the picture, creeping in towards Wei Wuxian in an ominous way that has Yuri's stomach tightening in uncertainty and unease.

A part of her thinks she shouldn't even bother showing it to him, but she steps closer to pass the photo along anyhow.] As I said, it shouldn't do anything if you're not a spirit. [A pause and she adds, her voice soft:] It's really me you should be more concerned about. My abilities work on the dead and the living. They're touch-activated for now, [for now] and I...

...There's no one around any longer who could really teach me, so it's a bit... Unpredictable...I can't control it very well. I could end up accidentally hurting you, so... [She trails off with a mumble, looking resigned to this, a lifetime of the bare minimum of physical contact.]

[he's standing, and then-- it's almost as if he's been dropped from a great height, and wei wuxian stumbles where he stands for the briefest moment, his spirit tangibly disturbed, before righting himself and turning to lady kozukata.

she's holding something out to him. wei wuxian meets her halfway, stepping forward and reaching for the slip of parchment that the camera obscura spat out. it's a marvelous device, if he can figure out how it works. perhaps he could imitate it, or make another version of it that's smaller, faster, sharper—

his ideas all come to a halt as he turns the parchment - strangely smooth on one side, and thin - over.

it's a portrait of himself. what strikes him first is the vividness of detail - the color, the accuracy, the lighting of the room, everything captured and framed down to a small square. wei wuxian spins on his heel, holding the portrait up to compare it with the room, and sure enough, the colors in the portrait are just as they appear in real life.

looking at the portrait is like looking into a mirror, with one's likeness frozen in absolute stillness. a shiver runs down wei wuxian's spine over it.

and then his blood runs cold, as he notices the dark tendrils of smoke creeping in from beyond the frame, as though reaching for him.

he'd seen the exact same smoke during the fight with the xuanwu of slaughter. ]

Lady Kozukata... [he looks at her in puzzlement, before lifting his head up and smiling at her apologetically.] It's truly a marvelous weapon. I'd like to learn more about it someday. Thank you for you accommodating me.

[he holds out his hand for her to take. he heard her clearly, when she said that her powers are touch-activated; it's no matter to him. what's more important is that he understands the implications of her ability, the loneliness that must have come with it, and so wei wuxian offers his hand to her without worry or concern. ]

Take my hand, my lady. I trust that the Lady Kozukata means me no harm. We'll walk through the doors together and be on our way.

[She watches him, her own expression apologetic in the face of his reaction to the photo.

(She won't remark on how it's kind of cute that he got so puzzled over it; she hadn't thought to warn him that by 'picture' she'd meant a literal snapshot in time. She hadn't used it much on anyone not from a modern time or who wasn't aware of what a camera could do. His bafflement and amazement over something that, to her, was so commonplace is terribly endearing).

There were special objects that could summon items from their homes; texts on the Camera, ancient though they may be, did still exist. She's sure she could find something on them.

But then Wei Wuxian is offering his hand and she stares at him helplessly again. Why did she keep running into these people who believed in her this much? A bit sullen, she tentatively takes his hand-- And immediately regrets the action.

It's probably a good thing that the trauma her mitori ability latches onto is something from so far back. The snapping of dogs' teeth against her (his) skin, fighting for a scrap of food barely fit enough for the dogs to eat anyhow, let alone such a small child. The desperation, the terror that claws at her (his) stomach as readily as the actual hunger there that spurs her (him) on.

hen the memory breaks and Yuri forcibly finds herself back in her own mind, it's dizzying. Her mind confuses the two; she's herself, but she's not, and it takes a moment for her to separate the threads there to untangle his memories from her own.

Immediately she tries to pull her hand back though, looking miserable and apologetic.] I'm sorry. I warned-- I tried to tell you-- [her voice sounds small to even her own ears. She had told and she had warned, but despite his insistence she immediately takes the blame. If she were more in control--

Well. It's not like it would matter. None of the priestesses had been quite in control of it either, carefully using veils to dull the abilities once it had progressed to only a look, a true glance. Still, she felt guilty for her own lack of control and the fact that he, too, would've had to relive that memory, brief though it may have been.]

[nothing happens, at first. it's pleasant, comforting, to hold someone else's hand out of a leap of faith, and wei wuxian smiles so brightly that what happens next takes him off-guard and turning away from her, falling to his knees on the floor as his heart beats frantically in his chest.

dogs.

the smell of their rank breath against his face. the sharpness of their teeth dulled the slightest bit by threadbare clothes. the sound of their growls and barks ringing in wei wuxian's ears. the scraping sound of claws against clay and stone, as wild dogs roam the streets and compete with the homeless in search for food. the roughness of matted fur against his young hands as he fights them off for a chance to run. and against the darkness of his closed eyes, the clear shape of them against a moonlit night.

wei wuxian's whole body is shaking. he is eight again, with his heart in his throat, and an unrelenting hunger in his belly.

he doesn't throw up, but it's a small victory. the taste of bile is acrid against the flat of his tongue.]

Don't apologize, please. [he manages to croak out, his voice hoarse.] I had insisted.

[wei wuxian gets up on his feet but doesn't turn to face lady kozukata just yet, as he wipes his face with his sleeve and regroups. when he does, there's a paleness to his expression, but there is no sign of blame at all.]

You have a powerful ability, my lady. If there's anything I can do to help ease its burden, please tell me. You shouldn't have to suffer loneliness and pain on your own.

▶ TDM .009

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i'll buff up next round wwx refuses to be anything but a moron