NOVEMBER TEST DRIVE

[modormenace]

TEST DRIVE MEME
MENACE WITH YOUR MASKS

01. HEROPA, FLORIDA is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place, where locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to welcome you to their fair city.

It's time for the annual sand castle building contest! Heropans have taken to the beaches to flex their creative talents. Though they're really stretching the concept of "castles" with some of these designs. There's also a beach bod contest. Participate and earn your season pass to free meals and coupons.

There's an extra way to win this year! If you post to the ImPort network and work in a little shout-out, they'll consider it free promotion and give you some merch to wear.

02. DE CHIMA, VIRGINIA is a large city with a healthy economy, with large numbers of citizens waiting to be awed by your very presence. Science and technology are the lifeblood of this city, so you're likely to come across a good many locals taking your picture with the newest of devices. The imPort craze remains high here, and you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.

The holiday season is upon us! And oh, De Chima's holiday shopping is something to behold. Every new fangled gadget you can possibly imagine is on display. Rocket boots, jetpacks, fully articulated robotic tails - there's something for everybody! And you're welcome to take it for a test drive. Just don't try to leave the shopping center, or you'll find it stops working.

The custom boutiques are eager to pull in any ImPorts with a unique look to model their tech. And anyone who looks strong may find themselves guilted into running security. You're assured that there is no chance of anything happening!

And yet, Frostmaker Industries is showing off its new driveway cleaner. A highly unstable invention that malfunctions midway through the demonstration. Now, every snowflake has sentience and is connected in a hivemind - uh oh, better brace yourself to fight snowzilla.

03. MAURTIA FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA has carried a reputation for ups and downs ever since imPorts began appearing. More so here than the streets of any other imPort city, the battle between good and evil looks more like a war of escalation than a heroic tale. Everything from the classic bank heist to brutal bloodbaths can happen around the corner. You have to keep your eyes open and your mind sharp when you live in Maurtia Falls, and hostility against imPorts can spike. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping...

Even the dour people of Maurtia Falls seem to be brightening up as the year draws to a close and celebrations fill its streets. While they still aren't keen on ImPorts, they are excited about the leaves changing color. They have their own city festival to celebrate it. Leaves are a really big deal.

People wear bright outfits mirrored after fall and early winter. They share festive drinks and free food is given out on the streets. It seems like even crime is taking a break today. Maybe this is a good opportunity to do some good? Or perhaps the peace and quiet is just what you need to kickstart your own criminal empire.

04. NONAH, NORTH CAROLINA is the liveliest of all cities; loud, busy and there's always some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement.

This year is no different. The mall is jam-packed with people rushing to do last minute shopping. Now the best deals are on as merchants try to offload their overstock, but the usual energy of the city is in overdrive. Perhaps that's why it's no surprise when someone cuts the lights to the mall, rappels down from the skylights, and gleefully informs you that you're all hostages in the greatest heist of all time.

(Bwitter is blowing up with #bestheist there is a chance that this is a Bluetube prank gone too far.)

This is your big chance, though. Do you play hero? Or do you go along and help these wannabes live out their tropey criminal dreams?

05. JEOPARDY, NEVADA by all rights shouldn't exist. A glowing neon city smack in the middle of the desert, the only reason it's still here is that the central nuclear power plant has tapped half a mile down into a subterranean lake for its water supply. So though the desert around it may be barren, the occupants of this small city are happily self sufficient. Those weird figures you see out of the corner of your eyes? Don't worry too much. Probably just weird radiation after effects. Jeopardy has a lot of those.

There's even more neon around than usual as the festivities ramp up. According to tradition, their goddess lays down to sleep during the coldest months of the year. And so, tradition demands that they party long and hard to give her sweet dreams. There are a number of bizarre celebrations happening. A lifesize game of pin the fly on the web, forture tellers at every corner eager to tell you what the Ancient Web Mistress dreams for you, and celebratory bug flavored snacks. The dress code appears to be anything goes so long as its silk, and if you don't have any, don't worry, they can hook you up.

At midnight they set off an array of fireworks. They say if you hold hands with someone as the moon sets, your destines will be entwined forever... and since your hands are getting a little sticky from all the webbing around, you may find yourself accidentally attached to a stranger.

06. The HEROIC HALL is a state of the art combat dome in De Chima. Engineered by the best and brightest on the planet, its futuristic holograms are as real as they come. There are safety features in place to keep things from getting out of hand, and they usually work. Usually. But any scenario you could possibly dream of is at your disposal to use. There are a number of pre-programmed options for you to choose from, ranging from the mundane like saving a cat from a tree, to the extreme such as stopping the apocalypse. There are even convenient scripts so you don't have to come up with your own zingers, and every session is recorded so you can watch your own greatness!

Uncertain? Well, the hot ticket this month is SCENARIO 34. Have you ever wanted to fight a Yeti? Here’s your chance! Scenario 34 features the greatest hits. A hulking yeti rampaging through town, a (poorly programmed) love interest relying on you to save them, and a (equally poorly programmed) romantic rival who is trying to steal your Yeti research! Of course can’t do this on your own, this script was written for two! Find your new teammate and stop the menace!

Once it’s over, don’t be surprised if you’re approached by the eagle-eyed talent scouts that refuse to take not interested as an answer.

Comments

Corwin of Amber | The Chronicles of Amber

[thepattern]

01. Heropa

The first thing Corwin does is find new clothes. Well, no. The first thing he does is try to get the fuck out of here, and get back to Fiona. He was in the middle of something important, you see. Trying to stop Brand from attuning to the Jewel. Though... the Jewel seems to have arrived on this strange Shadow Earth along with Corwin, so maybe getting back to Brand was less of a matter of import. Still, he would rather be back in Amber than here, so he tries to contact a sibling, any sibling via his deck of Trumps. No good. Looks like he's stuck here for the foreseeable future. He'll try shadow walking back to Amber once he can get himself a vehicle, but for now, he needs to blend in.

Therefore the first thing he does after all of that is said and done with, is find new clothes. His regular silver and black is all well and good, but the cloak with the silver rose at its collar is a bit outside of the local fashion of Earth. He finds himself near a beach with some kind of contest going on, stating that they're giving out free merch for anyone who gives a shoutout on social media.

What the hell is social media? Earth wasn't like this the last time Corwin was there. Time seems to be playing a strange game, here. But, it's quickly enough explained to him, so he gets out his nifty little phone and sends off a blast.

Sand castle contest at the beach in Heropa.
Come test your mettle against the finest
sand crafstmen Florida has to offer.
#sandcastle2k20 #someonepleaseexplainhashtagstome

That done, Corwin is gifted a free t-shirt with the logo of the contest on it, which he gladly changes into, sticking his tunic and his cloak into the canvas bag with the rest of his swag.

02. De Chima

Trying to walk through Shadow, north towards Amber, only lands Corwin in New York. This Earth's New York. He can't seem to leave this bloody plane of existence. This is beginning to get to be less of a mild inconvenience, and more of a substantial roadblock in his plans.

Backtracking, he makes his way to the shining imPort city, De Chima, Virginia. He'd always liked Virginia. Something about the sloping hills and the picturesque bay reminded him of Amber. No looming Mount Kolvir, but maybe that was for the best. He starts to explore De Chima on foot, leaving his rental car parked at the Gate facility (Interesting, those Gates. He'll have to explore those later.) and striking out towards downtown. He's stopped shortly into his travels by a band of roving reporters, pegging him for an imPort based on-- what? How did they know? Probably the branded t-shirt he was still wearing from the sand castle contest down in Heropa. Oh, well.

They ask him a series of 'getting to know you' questions, about where he comes from, who he is, what his powers are. "Powers?" he chuckles, deflecting. "I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Carl Corey, I'm from upstate New York. I have no powers."

"Nonsense," they insist. "All imPorts have powers! It should say so in your file!"

He thinks about the file he had been given in Cape Canaveral. He hadn't thought to look at it too closely at the time, wanting nothing more than to get the heck out of there. He'd left it in his car at the Gate parking lot.

"Excuse me," he says gently, trying to extricate himself from their questioning. "I think I have somewhere I need to be, suddenly."

But the reporters won't be deterred that easily. He might be needing some help getting away from them.

0X. Wildcard

[ Want something else? HMU @ millennialfalcon / Chris_#9103 to plot another starter. Will match prose or brackets! ]

De Chima

[helpdesk_hero]

"Oh come now, don't you think it's impolite to bother someone new so much? There is so much one is figuring out in the first days," a voice says as they come up from behind Corwin. And look, the microphones are shifting toward him, and the cameras.

Sometimes it helps to be an online personality.

"Mister Alleyne, a comment please about the current social media campaign for..."

"No comment," David cuts in, waving the question off as he looks at the reporters. "Now please, if you want an interview, you can go through my agent. In the mean time..."

He raises his hands before him, and a wall of golden-yellow energy forms between David and Corwin and the reporters. One second nothing, the next it's just the light forming a solid barrier, if thin like paper.

"Come on, time to exit," he tells the stranger with a smile.

Re: De Chima

[thepattern]

Alright, now here was someone who looked like he knew his way around this insane place. What's more, he looks like he has a handle on the media presence too. Corwin's already impressed before the wall of energy goes up at but a mere gesture of the other man's hand. Then, he's curious.

"Neat trick." But they can talk about that much later. Best to get away from the paparazzi while they have the chance. "By all means, lead the way. Mr. Alleyne, was it?"

Fuuma Monou | X 1999

[cardboardkun]

02. DE CHIMA
[Everything about this place was completely out of his depth. And while things had been... very weird back home, at least he had Kamui with him to try and figure things out. But waking up, alone, in a government facility, being told you were stuck there, that you'd been injected with nanites - whatever those were - and that you now have super powers. It was a lot. Then, on top of that, everything else here was strange. Phones were just screens that you tapped and could also take pictures somehow? Cars that hovered?? Going from 1999 to 2020 was a rather big jump.]

[All Fuuma wanted was somewhere quiet to sit and get a drink. Maybe a snack too. Try to wrap his head around it all.]

[Unfortunately, being a somewhat tall Japanese teenager in a black school uniform was apparently enough to give him away as an ImPort. Back home, it was pretty easy to blend into a crowd. Now, his wandering around trying to find a cafe or something was drawing a crowd.]

I'm sorry - excuse me, please, I'd like to get through...

[Polite to a fault, even with how stressed he was feeling. But he was clearly losing the battle of trying to somewhere quiet to relax for a minute.]


06. THE HEROIC HALL
[Frankly, Fuuma had no interest in being a superhero. He was happy to help people who needed it, sure, but usually that was more like carrying their groceries for them, or helping them rake their yard. The superpowers and superhero business was a bit too much like what Kamui seemed to be getting dragged into back home and... Well. It had lead to his father being murdered and his sister going crazy.]

[But then he'd started hearing things. Voices. At first he just assumed he was losing it too. But then he realized the voices matched the people who were around him. That was when he actually bothered to read the list of superpowers he had supposedly been assigned.]

[The deepest desire in someone's heart. That's what he was hearing.]

[It was deeply uncomfortable. What was also uncomfortable was he seemed to have the same kind of powers as Kamui. Thankfully, those hadn't manifested on their own like the pseudo-mind reading had.]

[But maybe someone who did have interest in being a superhero could help him figure out how to control his assigned powers. So a training hall seemed like a good place to find someone who might be able to help. Now he just... had to actually talk to someone. And ask. Right. He could manage that, couldn't he?]

[So far he had only stood near the entrance to the place looking awkward.]


07. Wildcard
[Hit me up with something else instead! I am game for just about anything, though Fuuma will have basically no idea how to use his powers.]


((For anyone who is old knows X, this is indeed Fuuma before he turns evil, but with all the powers of his evil self, for extra suffering. For anyone who doesn't know X, one of his powers is to 'hear' the deepest desire in someone's heart, even if they aren't aware of what it is. So sorry about that. Please be nice to him though he's a very good lad.))

[helpdesk_hero]

"David, please," he corrects the man as they start walking away. And as he does, the light fades away. "The press can be a bit overbearing. I, at least, signed up for it. You didn't. It can be hard to handle here, if you haven't had a chance to get used to it.

jin guangyao - the untamed

[guangyao]

[ ᴅᴇ ᴄʜɪᴍᴀ, ᴠɪʀɢɪɴɪᴀ ]
[ It doesn't take long for Jin Guangyao to start looking around once he's been given the lowdown of this place. None of it makes sense to him, it sounds like he's been pulled into another world but how could that be? One moment he'd been in Guanyin Temple then the next in this place. Not only that but things were bright, out of place and downright unfamiliar. They had tried to explain things upon arrival yet even then it hadn't sunk in and so Jin Guangyao had set off to look around, to see if there was anything remotely familiar he could focus on.

It's only when he's in the Mall in de Chima that the young man realises that no, none of this is familiar. If this was what came after death he almost feels cheated though it doesn't stop him from talking to those who approach him and wanting to take a picture of him with their phones. Jin Guangyao has no idea but he gets the gist of it, putting on the appropriate demeanour of someone who really shouldn't but will oh so humbly oblige. So many people seem to appreciate him as an "ImPort" and a small part of Jin Guangyao wonders if this place is really that bad; sure everything is weird but the people seem to appreciate him for the most part. That alone is a step up!

Jin Guangyao allows a few more pictures to be taken before he excuses himself, taking advantage of his smaller stature to escape the crowd only to be cornered by an overenthusiastic sales person. They exclaim something about his attire before talking about something called a robotic tail. It's difficult to follow and Jin Guangyao does his best to look mildly interested as he tries to keep up, his memory soaking in as much as it can in terms of phrases and terminology, names and places. It's only when the salesperson mentions other ImPorts that Jin Guangyao's smile freezes into place, jaw tensing as a swift realisation kicks in. The mood instantly changes from one of curiosity to dread, as if suddenly doused with a bucket of ice cold water.

There are other ImPorts here.

He knows it's too good to be true, that if he's here and there are others from all kinds of worlds that the odds are not in his favour. Who else from his own world has shown up? Jin Guangyao looks around as if expecting the other Clans to suddenly start closing in on him, forgetting that he's meant to be listening to some sales spiel about a robotic tail. Would they listen to what he has to say or kill him on the spot? A mystery and not one Jin Guangyao wants to know the answer to, not when things seemed to have calmed down. Now things are swiftly changing, Jin Guangyao quickly changing the priorities in his mind. He'll need to find out everything he can to get any kind of advantage he can!

However, running won't do him any favours right now and so Jin Guangyao simply adjusts his poker face, turning to the nearest person and holding out the robotic tail with a small smile. If he can shake off the salesperson then leaving won't draw any attention to those who could be watching him.]

This person's wares are said to be the best.

[ It's not throwing someone under the bus, it's a strategic exit!]

[ ᴊᴇᴏᴘᴀʀᴅʏ, ɴᴇᴠᴀᴅᴀ ]
[ Jin Guangyao once against finds himself at the mercy of terms he doesn't understand as he arrives in the town of Jeopardy. However he's still drawn to the bright lights of the town, how it contrasts with the desert around it. Most wouldn't think to build a settlement here but for the most part everyone seems happy enough, though occasionally Jin Guangyao catches a glimpse of something from the corner of his eye only to find nothing when he looks.

The festival upon first glance seems harmless enough though soon enough things start seeming a bit weird, even for this world. The fact everything is spider related and the things that flit on the outskirts of his vision do nothing but compound a sense of foreboding. Perhaps this place isn't the best to be staying in after all....

The fireworks provide a great chance to make an unnoticed exit, providing a cover for Jin Guangyao to leave without having to make excuses. There's a moment to take note that even the fireworks here are flashier than back home before Jin Guangyao turns to leave, slamming slap bang into someone. He puts his hands up to steady himself and the other person, already apologising as he does so.]

I am sorry I was not looking where I was going —

[ Jin Guangyao pauses, concern suddenly a very real expression as he tries to remove his hands from the other person. He's not even paying attention to who the other is as he tugs at his hands, frowning slightly as they refuse to unstick from the unwilling person. Why won't they move? What is this? Why? ]

[ ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ ]
(ooc: anything is fine, feel free to PM this account. will match prose!)

Jeopardy

[ze_uwu_jun]

[ Xichen is out late because he was working, but it was an early night so he could catch the fireworks. Which are beautiful, and he doesn't really mind as someone bumps into him...

... and then breaks out in goosebumps at the voice. ]

... Sect Leader Jin.

[ Quiet, so quiet. He is dressed in modern clothes, a white suit of good cut - and silk, because he does favor the fabric, being too used to it - so it is not quite too strange to not be recognized in the dark and the crowd, not immediately.

But... ]

[guangyao]

[ Jin Guangyao knows that voice, it's one overly familiar to him, one that he could often listen to for hours on end. Right now though he dreads hearing it, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on his own hands that are currently sticking to the other's chest for now. It wasn't that long ago that they were both in the Temple when things had gone so awfully and it takes everything in him to not start apologising again.

I never hurt you.

No. He has to take control of his emotions right now, to not put himself at a disadvantage so soon when it comes to such a thing. It's just that seeing Lan Xichen in such clothing is a shock to the system; the Sect Leader is perfect as always and Jin Guangyao finally glances up, expression not as caught out as he's feeling. It's a small miracle Lan Xichen can't hear Jin Guangyao's heart hammering away.

He had been mentally preparing to see others yet Jin Guangyao had not counted on Lan Xichen being here.]

Er-ge. [ Old habits die hard.] I did not expect to see you in this place.

[thepattern]

"David, then." He doesn't using first names with someone immediately upon meeting them. Well, he doesn't mind using the other person's first name. His own name, he'll hold a bit more closely to his chest until he can get this world figured out.

"They act like we're celebrities. I haven't done anything to be famous for." Not on this Earth, anyway.

de chima

[disasterstraight]

[ Who else from his own world, indeed? How about a ghost from his past?

Having recently relocated from Heropa to a villa on the outskirts of De Chima, Jin Zixuan is still getting used to the shining, bustling city. In a way, it is reminiscent of Lanling. The gilded halls would match the shiny wares of the leading industrialists and inventors to a T. Jin Zixuan doesn't need any of their fancy new inventions today; he's only come to town to pick up a few things for the home he and his son have moved into. But he's thoroughly and completely distracted from all thoughts of his shopping list when he hears a familiar voice, speaking to a salesperson nearby. ]

A-Yao?

[ His half brother had been among the first to greet him when he arrived in this world. Although he had learned of all his future misdeeds, and still could hardly fathom the motivation behind some of them, the pair of them had reached a sort of understanding. The Jin Guangyao that had been here had sought help for his madness, and that fact alone had gone a long way in redeeming him, in Jin Zixuan's eyes.

By this point, Jin Zixuan is keenly aware that, even when a familiar face appears, they may not remember being here before. So he is cautious as he approaches the smaller man. ]

It is you. You've returned.

[ze_uwu_jun]

Do not, [ Xichen swallows. It is a little easier than when he first talked with him in this world, but far from easy still.

And... ah. He has no memory of having been here, either, does he? ]

Do not call me so.

[ ... but he did not question the more distant form of address. So he ... knows what happened at the Guanyin temple. Xichen closes his eyes, re-centering himself against the sudden onslaught of memories about that. He had not... thought of it in a while, had he. ]

I have been here for some months, now. Others have come and gone, and even come again.

Have you - have you been in this world for long?

[helpdesk_hero]

"We are, to them," David shrugs as he keeps walking. The paps have learned not to stalk him, lest they run into more walls of energy. "They are obsessed with us. Fortunately it's a fact of life. One the government hardly helps with."

[thepattern]

Interesting. That'll be... a headache to navigate, but it's not like Corwin's never been famous before. Everyone in Amber and all surrounding shadows knows his face.

"And the--" He gestures with his hand, mimicking the movement David had made when he conjured that shield. "--golden wall of light. Is that a fact of life, too?"

Were the imPorts here powerful sorcerers, that he would have to watch out for?

Heroic Hall

[shelterednomore]

[If there's one thing that Lorna's accustomed to, it's people not being able to control their powers. Not because she's ever really had an interest in superheroics, but because she's grown up on an island nation filled with mutants. Many of Genosha's newcomers had come from countries with anti-mutant policies, and thus, hadn't had the opportunity to grow and learn proper control.

A life on such a nation has developed good instincts for who's new to their powers, and who probably had them already in their own worlds. She hadn't planned on trying out the Heroic Hall today, but maybe it's time for a change of plans. Which means trying to overcome some of her shyness to reach out and be kind to someone. She can hardly be a good queen one day if she can't even do this, she tells herself, taking a deep breath before she approaches.]

Um...hi. The Heroic Hall looks like an interesting place, doesn't it?

[It sounds stupid. She's sure of it. But maybe he's feeling too awkward to notice?]

Re: de chima

[guangyao]

[ Jin Guangyao certainly had not been expecting a ghost to show it's face in this place, especially not one that looked like Jin Zixuan. There's a brief moment where Jin Guangyao just stares, brow furrowing as if he's trying to work out some complicated problem and barely noticing the fact he's still holding some robotic tail in his hands.

And then the moment is over and Jin Guangyao's expression changes just as swiftly. Now he looks surprised and relieved as he gives the product back to the owner, smoothly bowing to show his respect no matter the situation. How? How? His half brother was dead yet he stands there talking to him as if it's nothing. If Jin Zixuan is here and alive then who else? All of the prepared excuses Jin Guangyao has are starting to crumble; it would be hard work indeed to pass off any kind of lie when there are those who know better here. Those who are in better standing and more easily believed.

Wait. What? The ex-Sect Leader glances up at that, this time the confusion legitimate and visible.]

Returned?

[guangyao]

Zewu-jun. My hands are stuck.

[ The title almost stick in Jin Guangyao's throat. The other's reaction lets him know exactly what Lan Xichen remembers and it's not looking good. It's tempting to just leave, to gather his feelings and wits again before approaching this with a steady mind but he's stuck, his hands won't move even when he tries to move them again and the idea he isn't in control of what is happening irks Jin Guangyao so.]

Months?

[ Jin Guangyao doesn't need to feign surprise there; the idea that Lan Xichen has been in this place for so long when Jin Guangyao had just seen him is a hard thing to grasp. How could that be? Answering Lan Xichen truthfully for now is the best option.]

I have only been here a day or so.

[ze_uwu_jun]

I believe you. Calm yourself.

[ He can feel the pull of the hands on his clothes, and that they are stuck, so yes, he does believe it.

And the fact that Xichen seems neither furious nor shocked by the appearance, but only perhaps a little stricken, lends credence to the time elapsed. He looks... thinner, and tired. There is a light that's no longer glowing in his eyes. But he's very much solid and composed, so there is at least that. ]

Near a year, yes.

Your arm... [ Is whole, clearly. ] Are you in pain?

[guangyao]

[ The mention of his arm pinpoints where Lan Xichen's memories are at and Jin Guangyao can't help but inwardly curse his luck. He knows, Lan Xichen knows everything and is still standing there patient as ever, asking him to be calm. ]

My arm? [ The former Sect Leader pauses, leaving it vague as he shakes his head. Admitting his injuries have been healed will also let Lan Xichen know what Jin Guangyao remembers. It will be better to stay vague on things until he has figured this place out. The concept of timelines being different points hasn't been discussed yet, but Jin Guangyao simply knows better than to show his hand all at once.

Even with Lan Xichen.

It's for the best.]

I have no pain. [ Again it's vague but this time he opts to try removing his hands again, wondering just what this place was like to take the light from the other's eyes. It's easier than admitting he'd done that.]

How have you been here a year?

[ze_uwu_jun]

[ There is this vagueness, but also there was no argument to not addressing him as they are both used to...

Xichen is just tired.

How would you know I have not been gone for a year?

It hurts to think it. It will probably hurt to hear it. So Xichen mururs instead, ] how were Maiden Jiang and Xiao Xingchen daozhang and Song Zichen daozhang here? How are Jin Zixuan and Xue Chengmei still here?

We do not know, Sect Leader Jin. Not completely.

[disasterstraight]

[ Jin Zixuan's face doesn't fall, per se. It is only that things would have been made so much easier if Jin Guangyao would have remembered their previous conversations. It occurs to Jin Zixuan that his half brother, therefore, doesn't know that he knows everything he did.

The thought of dredging all that up again is not pleasing. But some things just must be done. ]

Then, you do not remember. [ A breath, a small shake of the head. ] No matter. It is not the first time such a thing has happened. I will not be the last.

[ Jin Ling didn't remember being here before, either. But that had mattered less to Jin Zixuan, as he had not been present the last time Jin Ling was in this world. ]

Walk with me? There is much to discuss.

[guangyao]

[ So many people are here, especially those who could not possibly be. It would seem like those responsible for bringing people here have a far wider scope of power than Jin Guangyao had previously thought. The potential for confusion is already high without such things being thrown into the mix.

Jin Guangyao knows his brow is furrowed as he stares at Lan Xichen, doing his best to digest the information he's hearing. Hopefully looking confused will work in his favour because right now Jin Guangyao is feeling it and hating the fact that everyone here will have some kind of advantage over him when it comes to understanding the terrain.

Does everyone know what happened at the Temple?]

I do not understand, but there are many things here that make little sense. [ Jin Guangyao takes a deep breath as if steeling himself. He's going to have to meet this head on, keep his own thoughts to himself in order to keep things on an even keel. That and make sure he keeps an eye out for some of the more...unsavoury....people from home. Jin Guangyao's lips thin at that thought and he pulls at one hand again, blinking when it comes away from Lan Xichen suddenly.]

[guangyao]

[ How easy it would be right now to pull rank, to decline the offer of walking with the other and listening as his half brother points out everything he doesn't know. Just the idea that he's on the back foot in this place rankles and it takes everything within Jin Guangyao to keep the smile on his face respectful as he gives yet another bow.]

Of course, your guidance will be much appreciated.

[ There is not the same hatred for Jin Zixuan as there are for others in Jin Guangyao's mind, but the old jealousy still rears it's head. His brother had everything; recognition, a family, an easy life. Was it the same in this place? Had Jin Zixuan landed on his feet in an effortless manner?

It's difficult to admit that he needs the information. Jin Guangyao can deal with personal matters later when he's heard what he needs to.]

This has happened before?

[disasterstraight]

[ He didn't expect Jin Guangyao to turn him down, and he is glad he was right. He knows that his half brother has a compulsive need to know everything about a situation, to assess all the pieces and determine where he will fit. Jin Zixuan doesn't blame him for this. He blames him for other things, but not this.

He begins walking at a leisurely pace, headed towards the specialty market he was going to before he got sidetracked. No reason why he can't still complete his shopping while filling in Jin Guangyao. ]

This world... The machine that brought us all here, the Porter. It can bring people from any point in their lives, and it can take them away again at any moment. Furthermore, it sometimes brings people back, without any memory of having been here before. [ He shakes his head. ] I do not pretend to understand how any of it works. Much of this world's technology is beyond anything we have ever seen.

[ But, now to the crux of it. ]

You have been here before. You were the first to greet me, when I arrived. You had been here for several months by that point; I do not know how long exactly.

[ze_uwu_jun]

[ Xichen nods slightly. It is very, very confusing. But as the sticky part is freed, he eyes the slighter man for a moment. ]

Come. I know places that serve tea at this hour still. There are things that you might be better knowing about this place.

[guangyao]

[ Jin Guangyao matches the pace, making a point of walking alongside as opposed to one step behind. Things may have been chaotic recently but Meng Yao is loathe to defer too much so quickly.

The shops around them get the occasional glance, almost as if Jin Guangyao is making a mental note to come back and see them later.]

Hearing such things spoken out loud does not make them any easier to understand, but it does explain some things. [ Not that it lessens the foreboding that there are those out there that can pull off such a thing. To bring people from different points in time? People not remembering being in such a place?

It sounds like madness and yet...Good. If people do not understand it so well then it works in Jin Guangyao's favour and he's already making a note to use it to his own advantage.]

I do not recall being here or being away from home for any amount of time. And now you are the one to greet me upon my arrival here.