june catch-all

[mehanizovati]

Who: viktor and others, open to all with some closed prompts in comments
What: june catch-all, some tdm prompts
When: june
Where: various

content warning; terminal illness, arcane season 1 spoilers



misc lab stuff and various fruits.

[viktor's lab in the willful machine is usually left unlocked when he's working inside. friends or acquaintances have likely been told they're welcome to stop by if they like, either to say hello or to get help with whatever a vaguely sketchy lab could handle. of course someone he doesn't know can just walk in too or knock. maybe there's a sudden downpour and that ajar door is tempting? go for it.

the lab has been slowly filling with all sorts of nonsense on the various tables- lasers! tasers! some weird machine hooked up to a blood gem? it is not unlikely to be walking by and hear some minor booming noise and either a curse in czech or a satisfied 'a-ha!' feel free to investigate.

this month there's something else too, a bowl full of fruit. all the fruits mentioned in the tdm in fact, there to be tested on though it looks more like they're just for guests if people are unaware there's some weird shit going on.]

Just a moment, make yourself at home. [he might say to guest. that would include eating some fruit, right? enjoy. probably not the raw lemon though, that's weird.]

[ooc; if you want to memshare i am game, my only hard limit on memories is no suicide stuff please. self sacrifice is fine! feel free to ask to make sure one is okay. if you'd like a viktor memory let me know any hard limits and what sort of memory you might prefer!]


gaze and time loops.

[having lungs mostly working for the moment is pretty great, in viktor's humble opinion. it means walking around the trench doesn't come with the risk of coughing up blood and attracting beasts and generally having a bad time, along with added perks like not getting so easily winded and going for longer. it also means he finds himself out longer than he usually would, which maybe isn't the best, as it turns out.

for example, making his way home through gaze and hearing the chilling cry of a beast, sighing and trying to make his way around what turns out to be the wrong corner. maybe that's where he sees your character before the snarling of a too close beast starts in earnest.

and then snap! they're both back about an hour, where they passed on the street. the look viktor gives is somewhere between resigned and 'fuck this, actually.'] There is a term for this. 'One of those days,' I think.



[ooc; if you'd like to wildcard or do something else you can pm me here or find me at dichotomy]

Comments

[xiaoxiuya]

"Yeah, okay..." Shen Yuan manages to push himself to his feet, trying to keep as much of his weight as he can off Viktor while he lets the other man help steady him. And he is feeling unsteady just now, the shock to his system making his skin clammy and his limbs shake. Or maybe that was the bone-deep terror, it was so hard to be certain. He was even scaring Xiu Ya a little, which did nothing positive for his own state of mind.

"Viktor," he says hoarsely once they've both sat down. Shen Yuan faces the opposite wall, unable to turn to look at the other man directly but watching him out of the corner of his eye as he says, "I just got here. I haven't done anything to earn anyone's good regard, though I hope that'll change soon, but...you're a good man, aren't you? A learned, compassionate man. If, if I said that I was worried about someone from my world hurting me, and you had knowledge of this person, you'd -- you'd have no reason to hide that from me, right? No matter what he might have offered you?"

Was he being too paranoid? Maybe. But he knew Luo Binghe, knew exactly how charming he could be. If Luo Binghe was already here, then Shen Yuan had to get out in front of his revenge plot and fast. The one advantage he had was how fucking pathetic his side of the story actually was; if he could use that to buy himself some time and maybe pick up an ally or two he absolutely would. Throwing himself on Binghe's mercy hadn't been option in the old world, not with the System throttling him, but here? It was worth a shot, at least.

...He wasn't expecting Xiu Ya to actually agree with him on that point, but it was nice to know the sword had his back (emotionally speaking, since he still couldn't fight with it worth a damn).

[mehanizovati]

Once they're sat down Viktor puts his cane to the side, regarding the man as he speaks. If it weren't for the bruises he would wonder of Shen Yuan is having an episode of some sort, a flashback, because the way he speaks tells of a trauma and desperation Viktor has seen before.

It's not even the first time he's seen someone here frightened of being followed by another a world away, waiting for their arrival. When he speaks he keeps his tone level. "I would not. Of course I imagine my word is not enough in such matters, so allow me to offer some facts that may help.

"We cannot die here, we simply return. While we can be hurt violence and bloodshed increases corruption and blood pollution, which are matters I am researching to help curb and many would find reason enough to stop any violence they see."

And something else, that Viktor still finds odd but feels is important to say. "Sleepers are shockingly generous. If you need help many will often try, simply because they can. Eh, it is a little saccharine to say but you are not alone here, should matters get dire."

[xiaoxiuya]

Ohhhh, that first point was not as comforting as he seemed to think it was. Shen Yuan lets out a quiet, bitter laugh, saying, "Death would be preferable, compared to what this person wants to do to me."

The rest, however...He forced himself to take a slow, deep breath, circulating his qi for a moment until he felt like he could speak calmly again. "He isn't entirely unreasonable, however. If he was the one behind that episode just now, and the nightmares I've been having, then maybe, if he could be convinced to stop for long enough to let me explain myself..." In the book, Binghe had forgiven several people who'd wronged him nearly as badly as the original Shen Qingqiu. Of course those people were all beautiful women he then added to his harem, while male enemies just ended up dead, but he was trying to be optimistic about his chances here here.

"I'll try to explain, but first let me ask you something." And now he does turn to look Viktor in the eye, watching his face as he asks, "Do you know, or have you ever heard of, someone named Luo Binghe?"

...He can already guess what the answer's going to be before Viktor even opens his mouth.

[mehanizovati]

Well, that's... alarming. Not shocking persay, but it's never great to hear someone is such a threat that dying quickly and permanently would be a mercy here.

"I have not," Viktor answers, shaking his head. "Not in my world or here." The closest name he can think of that even sounds like it's from the same place is Wei Wuxian, who he considers maybe mentioning. The man did know something of evil spirits and the like, perhaps he could help?

Something to consider. For now he regards Shen Yuan and waits for the explanation.

[xiaoxiuya]

"I suppose that would have been too easy," Shen Yuan says wryly. "Very well, then. Please understand that Luo Binghe is the strongest and most talented dreamwalker his world -- I daresay any world -- has ever seen. And he was my student, though not in dream magic. That particular skill he learned from someone else."

Ugh, there was only so much on the fly editing he could do without undercutting his own sincerity. Ditto for trying to cover his face; the whole fan thing just didn't work outside of a xianxia setting, and he really hated that right now. Hopefully his discomfort would be taken at face value -- he really did hate making himself vulnerable, much less talking about himself -- and not an attempt at deceit.

"I should probably mention," he said, still struggling to make eye contact as he went, "that the world where I knew Luo Binghe -- the one where I was an educator, as I mentioned before -- wasn't my native universe. I lived a thoroughly unremarkable life in the world where I was born, and died at a young age of a sudden illness --" He is not going to mention the food poisoning, this is already humiliating enough. "-- but my... my consciousness, my soul if you will, was seized by...A god, I suppose. Or a being with god-like powers, at any rate, which called itself the System. And this entity was obsessed with Luo Binghe."

He folded his hands in his lap, fingertips tapping against each other in a meditative pose. "I don't mention this in order to absolve myself of all responsibility for what happened, but to provide context for it. Perhaps if I'd been a more clever or persuasive man, I could have made the System change its mind about what it believed had to happen -- it believed Luo Binghe had a destiny you see, that he was fated to conquer the world in its entirety and rule it as emperor. And who better to shape an emperor-to-be than his boyhood mentor? But of course Binghe himself has no idea that I was acting under duress, because one of the very first orders the System gave me was to carefully conceal every sign of its existence. I couldn't even hint at the power it exerted over my actions. And so from Binghe's perspective, one day when he was on the cusp of manhood his beloved mentor betrayed him, wounded him, and banished him to a part of the world so dangerous that it would have certainly killed anyone less than skilled than him. From his perspective, I personally gave him a death sentence."

Shen Yuan laughed bitterly, rubbing his face. "So you see, if he is here, somewhere in this world, and has likewise learned of my arrival, then it's only natural he'd want to avenge himself on me, and as painfully as possible. It's only what I'd deserve -- if I had hurt him of my own free will. Do you agree?"

[mehanizovati]

Oh Viktor can understand that, vulnerability is a dangerous game as far as he's concerned. He sits quietly as he listens, a small and thoughtful frown as the details unwind.

"So this is the second time you have been brought to a new world?" Wow. Frankly he never considered there are other worlds like this, where people could be snatched up and moved around. Interesting, apparently more than a few people had plans with Shen Yuan's soul. He does not envy him that.

"Yes, I see what you are saying," Viktor answers after it's all out, sitting back as he considers it. Does he believe the story? He may as well, the Trench had a way of unleashing the truth eventually if he was lying and trying to cover himself. Even if Shen Yuan did such a thing of his own volition Viktor would not want to see him tortured for it, because he did not believe that the answer and, more rationally, it would merely contribute to blood pollution and likely make a beast out of Shen Yuan.

So, moving forward with believing him, Viktor decides. He places a hand to his chin as he considers it and ultimately says, "In truth I do not. I do not believe senseless violence is the answer, and here it would only cause corruption and pollution. An endless cycle of revenge is trouble, plainly.

"But I believe you did not. So, I suppose the matter becomes how to deal with him should he find his way here, or if he is here."

[xiaoxiuya]

"I can't think of a reason why anyone else would want to attack me in this specific way," Shen Yuan says quietly. "The, ah...'content' of the nightmares has been very personal. The kind of thing only my former student was think of saying or -- doing." He winces, recalling the way the dream Binghe had insisted on eye contact before cutting off his legs.

A horrible thought suddenly occurs to him. "Although someone I met here by the name of Wei Wuxian told me that this world sometimes likes to set challenges for us dimensional travelers, but I have no idea how you'd test for that kind of thing or what kind of personal growth I'm supposed to derive from something like this..."

God, what a horrifying thought. What would be worse, getting dream-stalked by his fated tormentor, or subjected to open-ended challenges by the world itself? Doesn't he at least rate a tutorial level?? He wants to speak to the manager!

[mehanizovati]

"Ah yes, Wei Wuxian has been here for a very long time. He knows this place better than most," Viktor replies, and well... also agrees. A test sounds exactly like what is happening here, unfortunately.

"I'm afraid to say he's right. Very often odd events occur here that make sleepers face aspects of themselves. I have seen visions of timelines where my life goes very wrong, and I have been forced to share secrets in order to escape dangerous situations. There was a month everyone turned monstrous and needed to face some hidden aspect of themselves to revert."

A sigh. "More bad news is you often need some sort of help to stop whatever it is. Nightmares though... hm. If this is a 'test' others will be suffering the same. That would be a good indicator of if you was being targeted or not."

[xiaoxiuya]

"Ughhhh..."

Shen Yuan can't take it any more. He ducks his head, hiding his face behind the wide sleeve of his green over robe while he tries to re-compose himself. "Please excuse me," he mutters from somewhere behind his sleeves. "This isn't exactly easy for me. I'm not usually someone to seek out 'emotional intimacy.'" He pronounces the words like they're something something vaguely dirty and socially proscribed, like casual sex. There's a reason he adapted so well to playing the role of an aloof and untounchable immortal, okay?

"I guess I'm happy that there's an alternative to literally being ripped limb from limb by my former student, but god, having to feel real feelings about it is one hell of a cost." This, his tone of voice should hopefully make clear, is about 45-60% a joke.

[mehanizovati]

That makes Viktor laugh despite himself, one he stifles quickly with a shake of the head. "No, trust me I understand very well. Nothing irritates me more then when this place makes me... what is the term? Spilling guts, I think. Sharing, bah, as though we are allowed no real secrets or privacy."

But Shen Yuan is in some trouble here, regardless, so Viktor offers, "I will look into this, I have been meaning to regardless. Maybe there is a simple way to banish the nightmares that is being overlooked. When I find something I will inform you."