[Bye forever, Junpei!! Except hello still, he just turns to look at Junpei's face from the side, where he's still lying uselessly on the ground.]
I really am just a human, you know. Everyone keeps asking me that... [FOR GOOD REASON?? But, being merciful to both Junpei and Ty, he'll continue explaining:]
That was a summoning array I invented the first time I was alive. The long and short of it is you give your body over to whatever murderous spirit you'd like - plenty to take your pick from and all - and they're curse-bound to grant your wish in return. That kid got his hands on the how-to book, essentially, and called for me. I ended up categorized as some bloodthirsty, malicious spirit to most people because of this and that, but I'm not actually one - I was just dead! It's terrible!
[HIS BAD REPUTATION GOT HIM DRAGGED BACK TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING.]
...I knew you dealt with malicious spirits and zombies and whatever but that's a completely different thing. [He sounds fascinated and also kind of confused, but it's simple enough to follow.] No offense to you, but you're not really the kind of person to strike me as bloodthirsty.
[Like. They talked about loquats and Costco, that doesn't really strike fear into him.] Then again I'm not sure why you'd ever do something like that but I'm guessing you had a reason.
[Too bad he doesn't get to find out that real reason, because suddenly Wei Wuxian's treated to some kind of bullshit that lasts until 25:00. There's a sense of curiosity at first, questions and searching for answers...and from Junpei in particular there's a bone-weary sort of exhaustion as he works alongside the other two in the room, including a blonde Wei Wuxian may find familiar. Their commentary and light jokes back and forth are wound up in a strange sense of camaraderie...and hen everything turns to frustration, anger and panic...and pain... until there's nothing but a big ol' blank.]
[just as well since the real reason for inventing the array is literally "haha seemed like a good idea at the time and I was bored". HE IS... A TERRIBLE GREMLIN. At least he never used it himself...
Anyway, he opens his mouth to answer with some punkass quip about bloodthirst and blood magic, but gets slammed with Junpei's memory instead! Thanks, buddy. It's incredibly hectic in ways that make his head spin - things really just do go south so fast, don't they? - and as he's jerked back into the present moment, his hand raises automatically to pat at his own chest as if making sure it isn't riddled through with bullets. He blinks up at the ceiling.
Well. At least now the extremely specific number he mentioned earlier makes more sense.]
—One of those "games" you were talking about, I take it? Though I suppose that was really only an excuse to drag out a murder.
[WHAT PART OF THAT WAS ANY SORT OF GAME, THAT WAS A GAME DESIGNED BY DEMONS. He's still just looking up rather than at Junpei, watching as the barrier begins to break down above them.]
[I hate him oh my god. Good thing there isn't time for that right now because Junpei's frozen in his place and staring at Wei Wuxian for a moment like he, too, is expecting him to be riddled with bullets. The barrier shimmers out of sight and he's still over here sitting on the ground and trying to remember how words work.]
...that one didn't count. [A weak defense, expect he definitely remembers dying a little too fucking well. His hand instinctively goes into his pocket and pulls out four items to look at them in his palm. The three dice from that memory, and the engagement ring he's shown WWX before.] The Decision Game had a lot of traps like that to try and get people to die for X-Passes.
Wei Wuxian has also apparently decided he's living on the floor though, resting his hand against his chest when he's done with his bullet check.]
Really now, because it certainly felt like it did. [But like, people just die and hop around timelines in Junpei's world apparently so he's sure it's fine! It's fine...!!]
Well alright, it did. And it did again when we went back to win the dice roll. And it did again when we went back to alter the timeline as we needed. [People sure. Do. Do that. But he frowns a little at the question.]
An X-Pass is something needed to leave through the X-Door. A password, kind of, that you put in to leave the bomb shelter we were trapped in. The only way an X-Pass would be revealed would be is someone died.
[WHY IS JUNPEI'S CANON LIKE THIS. Wei Wuxian makes a bit of a face, though it's hard to tell exactly what the emotion behind it is. A little sliver of empathetic wincing? Some mild bafflement? Patented "that's rough buddy" vibes? "I sure am glad so many of us are in the ex-dead club"?? Maybe all of the above.]
That sounds miserable. [Just saying. Like, specifically the part where they had to keep coming back to that room to dying, but it fits the rest of what Junpei says, too.]
So - what, then. The name of the game was "kill someone else so you can get out of the shelter"? Life for a life sort of deal? Well— not that straightforward, I'm sure.
[It's probably all of the above because Junpei's canon is a fucking mess. But there's a bark of laughter.]
Yeah. Yeah, miserable is a good word for it, I guess. But that was it. We were told the Decision Game was meant to be played for the fate of humanity. Obtain the six X-Passes to open the X-Door and you could leave. But...the whole thing was a trap. We were brought there on purpose to learn how to SHIFT and make sure things went a certain way for history.
[So. They were forced to die repeatedly to learn and make sure some asshole was born and some other stuff solely because someone needed it to happen.]
And SHIFT - that's what you do when you move around from one point in time to another, right? [But why are they roping randos in to becoming the Time Army in another canon?? Wild.]
That sounds like an incredibly convoluted plan. [TO SAY THE LEAST.] --Were you able to get out of it? Was there any getting out of it, if that was their end goal?
Yeah. Different timelines, but yes. Spacetime Human Internal Fluctuating Transfer. SHIFT.
It was convoluted in the sense that someone really had to know what they were doing. The purpose, we learned, was so that the guy who set it up would be born, and to set up a timeline so that a few of the participants would come back in time to join the experiment we were all doing so that they wouldn't trigger a future where a virus breaks out and kills 6 billion people.
[...] We found the right timeline to SHIFT to, but because we're in the one where the virus didn't leave the bomb shelter, we have to find someone who's going to start a nuclear war and kill eight billion people. So. I don't know.
[THIS IS SO MUCH?? His own world is fraught with complicated politics and weird spirity bullshit, but he's suddenly very grateful that they don't have to be out there dealing with time travel and world hopping on top of everything else.
After a second or two of seeming to mentally chew on these new bits of information, he rolls over onto his side to look at Junpei better. Why doesn't he just sit up? Good question!]
So you're also in the middle of world-saving business, hm? Seems like there's a few of you running around here. [TOUGH LUCK.]
...For what little it's worth, I do hope you can get out of here and there, when the time comes. You've made it this far, so that's a good sign!
[It mentally exhausts him, too, it's fine. We don't talk about it. He's sitting and he nods along because he's also getting the impression there are a few doomed worlds out there.]
Just another connection among us. It's one I wish we didn't have though. [But there's a light sigh.] Thanks though. I still have other things to fix, too, whenever we get back. It's not over yet. You can see why it's important for me to get back as soon as possible though.
[A FEW more like half the worlds represented on this damn boat, god.]
I certainly can, yes! You've really got quite a lot on your shoulders, don't you?
[Honestly this applies both to the memory of the world he'd seen, and also to the ship in general?? LITTLE DOES HE KNOW AT THIS POINT, HAH. Junpei must be so tired, good lord. He feels sympathetic...]
One more thing to do before you get back to your goals - I'm sure it can be managed.
[This boat is cursed with idiots with bad coping mechanisms. As it is, he huffs under his breath.]
Let's hope so. It's something all of us need to work on so we can get back to wherever. [...] But what's going to happen for you when you get back anyway?
[ESCHA COME BACK, WE NEED ONE (1) STABLE BRAINCELL...]
True, true, haha! [Finally, he sits up from the ground, combing his fingers through his ponytail to straighten some of it back out again. At the question, he hums.]
Nothing as grand as saving the world, but we're in the middle of flushing a snake out of its den. I'd also still love to find out exactly how Mo Xuanyu managed to drag me into this mess in the first place, but I believe the two situations are related, so maybe I'll get some decent answers yet.
A snake. [Like. A real one? He knows shit, my guy, but he's nodding along anyway.] I think I'd want to know if I were you, too. Hopefully the answers aren't too complicated to find when you get back.
[It's okay he'll answer that bracket question without even meaning to, with a little laugh.]
A real snake of a man! [No world-ending shit but definitely One Asshole who's just ruining everyone's lives single-handedly.] But I do have a good feeling about it, so let's hope indeed, hm?
[FINALLY he's pushing himself back up to his feet, at which point he'll pat his robes off briefly before extending a hand out to Junpei.]
Haha, anyway - excuse the detour in your day, hm?
[SORRY FOR THE TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE JUMPY this is what you get for humoring a gremlin.]
[Well because it's not aphro week he takes that hand and gets to his feet.]
It's fine, this actually isn't the worst thing that's happened to me today. [Hm.] But yeah. Let's hope things work out for the both of us whenever we figure out this problem. Maybe stop climbing up on things though?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I really am just a human, you know. Everyone keeps asking me that... [FOR GOOD REASON?? But, being merciful to both Junpei and Ty, he'll continue explaining:]
That was a summoning array I invented the first time I was alive. The long and short of it is you give your body over to whatever murderous spirit you'd like - plenty to take your pick from and all - and they're curse-bound to grant your wish in return. That kid got his hands on the how-to book, essentially, and called for me. I ended up categorized as some bloodthirsty, malicious spirit to most people because of this and that, but I'm not actually one - I was just dead! It's terrible!
[HIS BAD REPUTATION GOT HIM DRAGGED BACK TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING.]
no subject
[Like. They talked about loquats and Costco, that doesn't really strike fear into him.] Then again I'm not sure why you'd ever do something like that but I'm guessing you had a reason.
[Too bad he doesn't get to find out that real reason, because suddenly Wei Wuxian's treated to some kind of bullshit that lasts until 25:00. There's a sense of curiosity at first, questions and searching for answers...and from Junpei in particular there's a bone-weary sort of exhaustion as he works alongside the other two in the room, including a blonde Wei Wuxian may find familiar. Their commentary and light jokes back and forth are wound up in a strange sense of camaraderie...and hen everything turns to frustration, anger and panic...and pain... until there's nothing but a big ol' blank.]
no subject
Anyway, he opens his mouth to answer with some punkass quip about bloodthirst and blood magic, but gets slammed with Junpei's memory instead! Thanks, buddy. It's incredibly hectic in ways that make his head spin - things really just do go south so fast, don't they? - and as he's jerked back into the present moment, his hand raises automatically to pat at his own chest as if making sure it isn't riddled through with bullets. He blinks up at the ceiling.
Well. At least now the extremely specific number he mentioned earlier makes more sense.]
—One of those "games" you were talking about, I take it? Though I suppose that was really only an excuse to drag out a murder.
[WHAT PART OF THAT WAS ANY SORT OF GAME, THAT WAS A GAME DESIGNED BY DEMONS. He's still just looking up rather than at Junpei, watching as the barrier begins to break down above them.]
no subject
...that one didn't count. [A weak defense, expect he definitely remembers dying a little too fucking well. His hand instinctively goes into his pocket and pulls out four items to look at them in his palm. The three dice from that memory, and the engagement ring he's shown WWX before.] The Decision Game had a lot of traps like that to try and get people to die for X-Passes.
no subject
Wei Wuxian has also apparently decided he's living on the floor though, resting his hand against his chest when he's done with his bullet check.]
Really now, because it certainly felt like it did. [But like, people just die and hop around timelines in Junpei's world apparently so he's sure it's fine! It's fine...!!]
And an X-Pass is what, exactly?
no subject
An X-Pass is something needed to leave through the X-Door. A password, kind of, that you put in to leave the bomb shelter we were trapped in. The only way an X-Pass would be revealed would be is someone died.
no subject
That sounds miserable. [Just saying. Like, specifically the part where they had to keep coming back to that room to dying, but it fits the rest of what Junpei says, too.]
So - what, then. The name of the game was "kill someone else so you can get out of the shelter"? Life for a life sort of deal? Well— not that straightforward, I'm sure.
no subject
Yeah. Yeah, miserable is a good word for it, I guess. But that was it. We were told the Decision Game was meant to be played for the fate of humanity. Obtain the six X-Passes to open the X-Door and you could leave. But...the whole thing was a trap. We were brought there on purpose to learn how to SHIFT and make sure things went a certain way for history.
[So. They were forced to die repeatedly to learn and make sure some asshole was born and some other stuff solely because someone needed it to happen.]
no subject
And SHIFT - that's what you do when you move around from one point in time to another, right? [But why are they roping randos in to becoming the Time Army in another canon?? Wild.]
That sounds like an incredibly convoluted plan. [TO SAY THE LEAST.] --Were you able to get out of it? Was there any getting out of it, if that was their end goal?
no subject
It was convoluted in the sense that someone really had to know what they were doing. The purpose, we learned, was so that the guy who set it up would be born, and to set up a timeline so that a few of the participants would come back in time to join the experiment we were all doing so that they wouldn't trigger a future where a virus breaks out and kills 6 billion people.
[...] We found the right timeline to SHIFT to, but because we're in the one where the virus didn't leave the bomb shelter, we have to find someone who's going to start a nuclear war and kill eight billion people. So. I don't know.
[Can they be out of it if it just keeps going?]
no subject
After a second or two of seeming to mentally chew on these new bits of information, he rolls over onto his side to look at Junpei better. Why doesn't he just sit up? Good question!]
So you're also in the middle of world-saving business, hm? Seems like there's a few of you running around here. [TOUGH LUCK.]
...For what little it's worth, I do hope you can get out of here and there, when the time comes. You've made it this far, so that's a good sign!
no subject
Just another connection among us. It's one I wish we didn't have though. [But there's a light sigh.] Thanks though. I still have other things to fix, too, whenever we get back. It's not over yet. You can see why it's important for me to get back as soon as possible though.
no subject
I certainly can, yes! You've really got quite a lot on your shoulders, don't you?
[Honestly this applies both to the memory of the world he'd seen, and also to the ship in general?? LITTLE DOES HE KNOW AT THIS POINT, HAH. Junpei must be so tired, good lord. He feels sympathetic...]
One more thing to do before you get back to your goals - I'm sure it can be managed.
no subject
Let's hope so. It's something all of us need to work on so we can get back to wherever. [...] But what's going to happen for you when you get back anyway?
no subject
True, true, haha! [Finally, he sits up from the ground, combing his fingers through his ponytail to straighten some of it back out again. At the question, he hums.]
Nothing as grand as saving the world, but we're in the middle of flushing a snake out of its den. I'd also still love to find out exactly how Mo Xuanyu managed to drag me into this mess in the first place, but I believe the two situations are related, so maybe I'll get some decent answers yet.
no subject
no subject
A real snake of a man! [No world-ending shit but definitely One Asshole who's just ruining everyone's lives single-handedly.] But I do have a good feeling about it, so let's hope indeed, hm?
[FINALLY he's pushing himself back up to his feet, at which point he'll pat his robes off briefly before extending a hand out to Junpei.]
Haha, anyway - excuse the detour in your day, hm?
[SORRY FOR THE TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE JUMPY this is what you get for humoring a gremlin.]
no subject
It's fine, this actually isn't the worst thing that's happened to me today. [Hm.] But yeah. Let's hope things work out for the both of us whenever we figure out this problem. Maybe stop climbing up on things though?
no subject
Right, right! No more climbing up on things for me today.
[This is entirely a lie and he didn't even bother trying to pretend he wouldn't do it for a whole week.]
Surprised you've run into worse things today, though.
no subject
It's been a really long day. Just try not to trigger this thing again? Might be better for everybody. `
no subject
Mm, right, right! I'll do my best. You take care, too - don't get dragged into anyone else's half thought-out ideas.
[At least he's self-aware(???), god.]
no subject