prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .012

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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. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena 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? — 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. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ I am the Terror That Flaps in the Night
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 Your new flat is covered in a sprinkling of feathers here, there, and everywhere! They appear to be coming through the air vents. This seems to be a city-wide problem in all buildings, as many news outlets are informing people to stay alert. They believe the feathers are from the masked seraphim, King Majestas, who attacked the Elaran Amphitheater a few weeks back.

You are advised to destroy the feathers on sight. Prolonged contact with these feathers cause hallucinations and paranoia. You will feel as if winged creatures are always after you, be it one-winged angels or dark-winged ducks. Other side effects include hearing the chanting of voices in an indecipherable language out of this galaxy. These hallucinations may cause headaches, dizziness, or nausea. Thankfully, a bit of moonlacing will heal these symptoms away.

▶ Got Milk?
Level 2, Crystal Beach | top

With the Coiled Hearts Festival fast approaching, local fishermen have already begun procuring food across Crystal Beach’s clear waters to meet next month’s demands. Around this time of year, the popularity of octopus dishes dramatically rises. The Lunatians have an annual tradition to prepare flavorful octopus dishes for the romantic season, such as the much-lauded dark chocolate-coated octopus or the mouth-watering octopus braised with red wine.

Everyone is welcome to join this heart-throbbing affair. During the Second and Third months, everyone is encouraged to give your loved ones something special for a long, successful relationship. Friends, family, and new acquaintances are traditionally given a small amount of Demichroma in tiny cute cases, while lovers are given something that reminds the gifter of their homeland.

A Interested in catching your own octopus? Horned taurus octopi very frequently migrate to the shorelines to perform their elaborate mating rituals. It’s easy to find clumps of taurus octopi participating in a vigorous dance, filled with undulations and strange moaning noises that octopi should not be making. You can lure the octopi by either using a special flute which mimics their moans to gather them in heavy droves. It’s ideal to have a partner with you to scoop the octopi quickly into water containers once they’ve become entranced enough.

Play the flute carefully! If the taurus octopi grow too excited by your music, they will squirt white ink. If you are spritzed with the thick substance, you will start either randomly puking or uncontrollably secreting a milky sweet substance from any body part that secretes liquids. Luckily, the high-end boutique Prissy Polyp is nearby in case you need a change of clothes due to any sizable stains. Effects will naturally wear off after an hour.

B Come with a friend and enjoy learning some octopus recipes together. The Crystal Beach Resort has opened a seminar where several professional chefs will be demonstrating and teaching how to cook various dishes of different flavors and ingredients guaranteed to impress your date, and taste-testing is free!

One dish makes use of horned taurus octopi skin as the star ingredient, renowned for its irresistibly delectable scent. The chefs explain the palatable skin is a potent ingredient in various love potions and aphrodisiacs, so add or mix them to your dishes in moderation! The effects have a significant delay, so you may feel fine for a while, but when it hits, it hits hard. You will become enamored with every little thing — hey, you just met them and this is crazy — but that person’s smile, the sound of their voice, or the way they say your name will make you unable to resist the urge to shower them with your affection.

▶ Going Viral
Level 2, Moonlight Medical Center | top

“Help Wanted” posters can be found on virtual forums and announcement boards across Level 1 to 3. The Moonlight Medical Center has put out a call for volunteers due to a recent shortage of medical staff. The work involves filling in for overworked nurses, performing tasks such as feeding patients their meals, wiping away their sweat, changing their clothes, encouraging their spirits, and so on. Any volunteers may directly walk-in at the hospital. You will be provided a nurse uniform and any necessary equipment while on the job.

The shortage has resulted from the hospital recently taking in a severe number of patients from a nearby small village to the west of Lunatia, Port Sylvel, a known shipping and freight destination. The number of patients worryingly keeps on rising by the day and will soon fill all available rooms.

A Some of the patients are experiencing varying degrees of paralysis. The worst cases have crystallizing parts of their body. The hospital staff will stress that you should be careful around patients with crystallized limbs. Patients like these have a history of aggressively biting anyone who comes close hard enough to draw blood. Those bitten will exhibit similar symptoms as the victims, including crystallization on their bodies, and experience a steady drop in Chroma. An uncomfortable heaviness will cause you unable to move without the aid of others as well as an uncontrollable urge to aggressively bite someone.

While affected Moonblessed can cure it by moonlacing, the Prismals can only be cured by a gluteal inoculation the Lunar Scientia has recently managed to develop. The sick and beleaguered will probably hate you less if you aren’t the one trying to stabbing them with injections in the hindquarters.

B Aside from nursing duties, other available tasks to be completed include making coffee for fellow nurses and doctors, delivering flowers to patients, and general housekeeping. Specifically, disinfecting medical equipment, tidying up rooms, and cleaning the spaces around the hospital. As a result of the current situation, many crystal shards can be found decorating multiple surfaces, such as floors, walls, toilet seats, and so on. These will have to be swept away!

However, as your work day progresses, some of the shards can be seen suddenly moving on their own. These crawling shards will start clustering together to turn into elaborate, floating monolithic formations that will then begin attacking anyone nearby. Their main ability includes shooting diamond spears to impale any unfortunate victims in their line of sight. In the midst of the chaos, nurses and doctors will beg the Moonblessed to please protect the sick and wounded. The crystal formations can be destroyed by any method, though because of their incredibly sturdy composition, they require multiple hits before they shatter into dust.

▶ Questions
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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Xiao Xingchen still has a melancholy look on his face, evident even without eyes to help express it. Perhaps if it is a new future and a life beyond what he would have had, an opportunity that one should be nothing but grateful for, though matters are not so simple when a figure from his past is here with him.

"In the past, it's true that I heard only... unflattering stories of you, but I've met many here who speak to your good character. I was skeptical at first, until you helped me. Um, before, I mean."

He really needs to stop meeting people like this.

As he talks, the hostess comes back around with their tea. The scent in the air is light and delicate. Giving thanks to the hostess, he takes up his own cup, tasting the faint sweetness before he speaks again.

"It's strange, feeling so sure that you know someone. Then finding that they're nothing like you believed."

"You can't believe what people say, everyone has their own biases and agendas," and even if you have no choice but to do so, you should listen to as many different stories as you can and find the pieces that make sense.

Of course, his story would be difficult to do that with, too many people used him as a scapegoat, as a boogieman and the creator of all evil. Even when he was alive people came in droves assuming and wanting one thing, when the real flesh and blood person was far from their image.

He still didn't like how people thought of him as power hungry.... Since when had he cared about being powerful or where he stood in a ranking? Sure, he liked to say he was fourth most handsome, or even skilled! If he could show off his archery it was fun and he could take pride in being good and impressive. But power? What a worthless thing. Especially since if anything... he had been completely powerless. Losing everything....

"I am a bit curious though, how did I help you before?"

All that Wei Wuxian says is true, but Xiao Xingchen has to admit that the thought of being responsible for as many deaths as he is did not exactly help with his impression of the man. It took nights of thinking and reasoning with himself to figure out what to feel about this Yiling Patriarch. Though he still isn't sure how exactly to feel, he knows that the man has only since done his best to do good.

And isn't that what matters most?

"Well, when I needed a place to stay, you let me live with you for a while. Not for long, as I didn't wish to impose. Since then, we haven't really met. The city is so much large, and it's all too easy to lose contact with others as everyone goes about their lives here."

Which is fine, Xiao Xingchen thinks. He would rather not let others get too close to him. Those who do usually suffer, so it's better if meetings and partings happen swiftly, no matter how sad it might feel.

"I am glad that I did good towards you, however it is a shame that I haven't kept in touch!" he wondered if it could be because his previous self had vanished and now he was here with no recollection. That had to be it, because he would definitely want to be friends and talk to his Shishu as much as possible.

"I may have no memories of that time, but let us form new memories. We are not unrelated after all, and should get to know each other as well as we can."

Oh.

Xiao Xingchen smiles over his cup.

"I would like that."

If only it wasn't so difficult. His life has only become even more complicated since arriving, and he would rather not involve anyone in his situation. Yet at the same time, it shouldn't be too much of an issue, as long as he ensures that Wei Wuxian doesn't meet his roommate.

Wei Wuxian is also a rather entertaining individual. And Xiao Xingchen finds it difficult to say no to anyone with a bit of charm.

"But I do feel like there's not much else interesting about me, other than what the stories say. And I'm not sure if I'll be much fun for company."

"Not at all, even if you think there isn't much interesting, there must be things you find interesting. It doesn't matter what it is, I would be more than glad to hear about them," and maybe he could learn a bit about his mother's teacher, and any stories there might have been of his mother while there. Of course, if not, that would not stop him from being fast friends with his younger Shishu.

Wei Wuxian does feel like a very eager young man - nothing like his infamous tale at all - even if Xiao Xingchen is aware that said man is actually older than him! Laughing lightly, he takes another sip of his tea.

"Well, all right. Though it'd be more fun to hear more about you. If you wouldn't mind telling me about all the great things you've seen or done... I'd enjoy that very much."

Xiao Xingchen wouldn't ask of these things before, avoiding other people in shame and trying to accept that most of the world had been cut off from him so soon after leaving the celestial mountain. But it helps him to feel a bit closer to others, like he's no longer a comet passing by the world to far away, where others won't find him.

"Me? Ah... I don't know what to say. I don't have anything interesting to share, and everything else was a lifetime ago...." and a lot of it he didn't really want to think about. Not that he was avoiding it, but, it wasn't a good feeling still.

He didn't say anything for a moment before he chuckled as if someone had said a joke.

"I'm a boring low level cultivator in this life, I wish there was more to share."

Xiao Xingchen's expression looks puzzled, before relaxing again and sipping more tea.

"Oh. Well, that doesn't matter. Both you and I surely know the value in a boring life."

After the eventful lives they've led, wouldn't that be lovely?

"There's many ways to spend one's time here and make new experiences. But you will have to be careful, since strange incidents like today do happen now and then."

Clothing troubles included, unfortunately.

"Then it shouldn't ever be too boring and life will be full of fun distractions," not that he had liked the feeling of the feather on him, but look! This right now was good, so there wasn't a problem. And in the future he would be more vigilant. Of course he might end up regretting his enthusiasm later for a bit, but that wasn't a new problem.

And a world where most people didn't know and hate him... that was rather refreshing.

Perhaps Wei Wuxian is getting a little ahead of himself, but Xiao Xingchen isn't one to crush any hopes-- besides, he might have a better experience than he has.

"Well, if ever you are in trouble, do not hesitate to call on me. There are many powerful people who are willing to protect anyone in need, but... if I am around, I will certainly help you."

Protecting others is his greatest motivation in life, after all.

"And I will also help you if ever in need, so you can't hesitate as well," that was very important, no matter what, no matter where, he would go to his shishu's aid.

And no matter what, he would make sure such a sad future can't come to be, even if he he has to break kneecaps to do it.

▶ TDM .012

xxc unfortunately knows this

Stay strong!

he will as long as he doesn't learn about That One Thing

He will do everything in his power to prevent that.

What a good shizhi ;;

He tries his best.

Pets him and gives him chili snacks

\o/

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