Shen Yuan | November Catch-All

[xiaoxiuya]

Who: Shen Yuan, CR group, People who actually want to talk to the weird metal faces . Maybe more to be added later, who knows!
What: Thread starters for people who want to get bogus relationship advice from Google translate; Shen Yuan Starts a Group Chat, TBD
When: Throughout November
Where: Deernet and beyond

Content Warnings: TBD

Comments

All Around Me Faces I See [Open]

[xiaoxiuya]

In the weeks preceeding this network post (published November 14) residents of Trench were troubled by small, metal faces start coming out of the woodwork. And stonework. And the furniture. Everywhere Shen Yuan had been, everywhere he held something in his hands and manipulated it in some way, wires sprouted up. The wires gradually evolved in almost organic fashion into circuit boards, which in turn became the faces. And then the faces began to talk.

"Greetings, User [static]. Thank you for choosing the System: Localized Edition! Error: insufficient context. Please describe your most important relationship so an informational baseline can be established."

Most people are quite naturally freaked out by these plainly unnatural phenomenon, and took to smashing the faces even before Outreach's advice hit the network. Some, however, find them intriguing. Or amusing. Or perhaps even helpful, if they listen long enough. Whatever the reason, not everyone has chosen to destroy these faces, and if an interested Sleeper looks carefully enough, they might find a face embedded in a garden wall or some private booth in a cafe, waiting and watching for its chance...to dispense some Relationship Advice.

[broodofone]

Abathur's burrows are now extensive. The mutations found within Trench are holding his interest, but they are difficult to analyze. The blood toxin cannot be purged through exsanguination, and he has not yet been able to create a sufficiently powerful reclamation vat to deal with the effluent without damaging the creep substrate. Research has therefore been slow, managing his toxin levels.

And near-feral restlessness has kept him from efficiently spending his time inert, waiting through the detoxification process. Today, he has broken through the cobblestones in a new alleyway, and found something unexpected.

It looks like a Terran face. "System, unclear. Describe function."

[xiaoxiuya]

"User query recognized. Accessing security level for User: [ERROR]. User designation unknown. Submitting bug report. Processing."

Several seconds of silence follow before: "Bug report processed. User designation assigned. Greetings, User: THAT'S ONE BIG BUG. Accessing task queue. Accessing user query --"

The Google Translate-esque voice suddenly interrupts itself, playing back Abathur's line: "'System unclear. Describe function,'" before resuming.

"Accessing security level for User: THAT'S ONE BIG BUG. Security level: [EKUMEN] approved. Answering user query: the System is a super-dimensional artificial intelligence, programmed to ensure a satisfactory metatextual experience for assigned cross-dimensional travellers. In this reduced form, System is available for resolving interpersonal conflict in a metatextually satisfying manner, via the dispersal of trope-based qualia, or 'advice.' Please submit further inquiry, or provide personal data in order to receive a more satisfying user experience."

[stayscared]

It's less strange than the lantern imps, and more strange (maybe) than the surprise coin manifestation, and not even beginning to approach that whole experience with the Zealots so it sets off ...you know, a normal amount of alarm bells for Trench.

With his sense of direction behaving the way it is this month, he assumes at first that the faces might be some kind of series of guideposts? Attempts to find the next face vary - sometimes it's where he needs or wants to be, and sometimes he's just lost all over again.

It can't all be user error ...can it?

The faces don't resemble any of the people he'd seen from that air vent, so when the talking begins, well, maybe it's a helpful interactive map? If he can't find the beach (How can he not find the beach? It's disconcerting, and he is overtired, sure, but he is not drunk.) he can just ask, maybe? Or maybe only after he answers a very personal (security?) question? Is this Trench's version of setting a password?

"What do you mean by relationship? Do you mean it in a romantic sense, or is it more of a catch-all?"

[xiaoxiuya]

"User query recognized. This System is set to facilitate relationships of any type, providing they are of sufficient importance to the user. Romantic relationships are given a priority, however familial relationships within the second degree of consanguinity and platonic friendships also fall within this System's purview. Would the user like to submit a relationship for consideration?"

[poorlittlesange]

The first time a face appears on a piece of his crockery, it happens while Jin Guangyao is home alone during his period of convalescence. The timing, therefore, leaves something to be desired.

He has just poured himself a cup of tea when a face materializes on the side of the cup and begins speaking to him--which makes him shout, obviously, and drop the cup to the ground, where it promptly shatters and spills hot water all over his floor. (That is hardly the most pressing of his concerns, but it will piss him off later.) Jin Guangyao presses himself back against the countertop and stares at the cursed thing, pale as birch bark.

The face itself, unfortunately, is still in tact, and therefore is still perfectly capable of speaking at him while he deliberates whether his golden core is stable enough for him to risk hurling a talisman at it.

[xiaoxiuya]

"Error. Error."

Its normal greeting protocol interrupted by the disruption to its host matrix, it takes the System a moment to recalibrate.

"Warning: this System is experiencing reduced resilience and durability. Vulnerability to blunt force trauma increased. Advising User: JIN GUANGYAO to exercise caution."

Party-Cultivatin' in the Group Chat Tonight [Closed to CR]

[xiaoxiuya]

[Text post; user: Shen Yuan; invites sent to Nie Huiasang, Lan Xichen, and Jin Guangyao]

Okay guys, this might take a little explanation but I promise it will lead to good things.

In my home world, we enjoyed the use of an information and communications network similar to the one here in Trench, although it operated on different technology. But in addition to that, families and friend groups would often create secondary, private networks called 'group chats' in order to more easily pass on information specifically relevant to the group. For example an emergency alert could be sent out to your entire family at once, or on a lighter note you could send everyone you know a picture of a cute pigeon you saw in the street. For example here's a selfie I took the other day with Lan-gongzi:

[Posted: the aforementioned selfie; Shen Yuan is grinning mischieveously while Lan Xichen looks surprised and confused.]

I thought this might make it easier for the four of us to stay in touch with each other, and this way if any of you have any questions about Trench or other worlds you can ask me here, and this way everyone will get to see the answer! Just give it a try and let me know what you think, okay?

[xiaoxiuya]

Per Jin-gongzi's request, I've added Mike Enslin to the group chat. Welcome Mike!

And because my supervisor caught me texting on break, I've added him to the chat as well. Please say hello to my boss at Outreach Construction, Duty. ^^;

[poorlittlesange]

USER ID: WHENINLANLING (JIN GUANGYAO)

[er-ge looks very handsome in that photo, no, don't make it weird]

Thank you kindly for arranging this for us, shidi. And greetings, Mike-xiansheng.

un: cleansingsong

[baiyueguang]

Greetings. This is Lan Xichen.

Thank you Shen-gongzi for going through the trouble. Truly, this machine is remarkable and versatile.

And a fond hello to Mike Enslin and Duty. It is a pleasure to meet you both, even if not entirely in person.

[Does he politely bow to the screen? Yes. Is he aware that no one is actually going to see it? Also yes.]

misfire text: un: tenskulls

[stayscared]

What if "It's Raining Men" and "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" are the same event from a different perspective?

text: un: tenskulls

[stayscared]

[ten minutes later this one:]

Not sure if this is a pigeon or a dove.



[it's a very nice bird silhouette! he should not be outside, he knows, it's dangerous outside, but he just wanted to feed the birds.]

[fanfavors]

[Hi Mr. Mike, it's Bird time.]

That one looks like a common pigeon to me, but what striking composition!

[This is a bit. He knows this is a normal bird picture. But still.]

This one is impressed you were able to get so close to the birds.

No Path is Darker...

[xiaoxiuya]

...Than When Your Eyes Are Shut [Hallucinations + Sleeper Farm Plot, closed to CR]

Part I. All will be well. [Beginning of November]

It takes Shen Yuan longer than most to feel the effects of the November hallucinations. Isn't he already an old at managing his corruption levels, at keeping his mind and meridians clear, at ignoring or side-stepping information that might make him uneasy? Shen Yuan does not consider himself skilled in that final category, but that just goes to show how many skills ranks in it he really has. It's always there, working in the background, protecting his worldview from anything that might force it to change, to re-examine its assumptions.

And the assumption that he is safe here, that despite the city's hazards nothing will permanently harm him, that he'll never ever have to leave this place or return to the world from whence he came, is especially important to Shen Yuan's peace of mind.

So the first time he hears someone anxious whisper those words, "The Tower is weakening..." he sneers and thinks, 'Sounds fake, but okay,' and that settles that. He doesn't stop others from saying it -- though he does remind the other members of Duty's construction crew to focus on their jobs, not hearsay -- but those words will never pass through his lips. It's a lie, clearly; propaganda or a misunderstanding. The Tower is not weakening. It will not fall. And everything is going to be fine.

Part II. And all will be well. [Middle of November]

Taking a leave of absense from the construction crew is annoying, but Shen Yuan decides to look on the bright side. He's wanted to spend more time cultivating, hasn't he? And didn't he, just last month, have the idea to visit the other places of power in Trench, to meditate and try to bolster his qi with theirs? So isn't this really an opportunity, not a setback?

So he goes on a night hunt with Huaisang and the other two (though not even Never Mind's worry is enough to shake his belief that really, the Tower's going to be fine) and he meditates with Lan Xichen, and he explores the city. A few times he takes one or more of the other cultivators with him, but more and more he finds himself wanting to be alone. The hallucinations are...they're sure not getting any better, and it's getting increasingly hard to look his friends in the eye when gore and insects and strange, crawling plants slither out of their pores to peer back, but. It's fine. He won't give in. He just needs to tough it out. Just tough it out...

Part III. And m̵̖̓̚ą̶̖͋n̶̜͗̊͋͝n̵̯͚̥̆̔ẻ̸̟͒̅̾ṛ̸̭̬͆̾̓ͅ ̶̙̯̌͗̆̓o̷̲̟̒́̚f̵͍̞̮̓ ̴̻̖͋̋̊ṫ̴͚͍̐̇h̷̨͂̆̆͗į̵͇͕̃ṉ̷̰̍̋̏g̷̞̹̟̈́̓̀͝s̵͍̥̹̓͌ will be well. [Beginning of the end of November]

user: refined elegance posted to the Sword Wizards and Mike! group chat --

This blade requires assistance in Crenshaw! Shen Yuan sat down to meditate, and now we are being moved by strangers. I cannot wake him! Please, come at once.

[The location of the Pale Sanctuary is attached -- but no matter how much his friends hurry, by the time they arrive Shen Yuan and Xiu Ya will no longer be there.]

Part IV. zalgo.txt

[xiaoxiuya]

[CW for blood and injuries.]

The Zealots saw little reason to torment this one, not when he had already so effectively locked himself up in his own mind. He didn't even twitch when they picked him and moved him, and the silver sword that appeared in his lap was helpless to do more than bite the hand that touched it. They let it be, for it could not stop them from carrying its Sleeper into their domain. They propped him up in a corner where the floor was grated, chained him to the wall by his neck, and slit both of his wrists, leaving him to bleed out where he lay. Still he didn't move; if it weren't for the slow trickle of sparkling Darkblood that seeped from each nostril, from each ear, from his mouth and the corners of his closed eyes, he might have seemed peacefully asleep. From time to time a Zealot came by to collect the blood with an absorbent cloth, but otherwise they left him alone. Even the chain was intended to hinder rescue attempts, not escape.

As for Xiu Ya, she was in despair.

The other cultivators and Duty had promised their aid, but not quickly enough. She could no longer access the network, and with Shen Yuan insensible, so was she blind and deaf, and mute to everyone but other Omens. She could not even tell if her silent calls for help were being ignored, or if she and her Sleeper were truly alone amongst their enemies. She lay on hot metal by Shen Yuan's feet, feeling his blood slowly trickle out of his body, and cried into the dark.

She would not stop trying. Not because she believed anyone would come, but because it was all she could do.

III lateish november

[stayscared]

[he can't see this and not go, no matter his condition. which, at the moment is ...fair to middling with an option on worse. this message could be a hallucination - he can't trust his mind - oh, for fuck's sake, when can he truly trust his mind? the directions are a series of numbers, a recipe for---

---no, no, that's not possible. pigeons roasted in shit is not on the menu, not today, and that one, for now, is easily banished - and vanished, now that he looks at it again - it's just a location.

but one that he cannot reach in time to find anything but the absence of shen yuan. and a series of hallucinations that are harder to dismiss. there are whispers, too.]

III. Will be Well

[martyrofduty]

The message is too old. That kind of message has one obvious suspect. Having already been a guest of the Blood Crazed Zealots, Duty's aware of the caliber of hospitality Yuan's likely experiencing. Despite an agreement with the zealots, Duty doesn't approach via those channels. This goes outside that agreement, so he steps around it.

His omen slinks out from behind his legs to scout ahead. Cinnabar sticks to shadows, as daylight turns to evening; the rising moon makes up for the fading sun's light. After an hour, she spots a cluster of suspicious mutilated figures, with someone unconscious among them.

Duty accelerates to full speed, and Cinnabar lopes to keep up with him, growing with each step. They crash into the group on the other side of a closing portal like a heavy shield. His spear expands to pierce three zealots. Duty leaps, anchoring himself with one hand on the spear, stabs the closest one through the ribs to pierce their heart, and crushes the middle zealot's skull in with a heavy boot. He lands, pulls the dagger back out, and slits the throat of the third zealot. The fourth lays messily on the floor, their throat bitten out.

Amid it all is the unconscious Sleeper. Their luck he's here. Duty frees his spear, tosses the Sleeper over his shoulder, and makes his way deeper into the stronghold. Through Cinnabar, he sends Xiu Ya a message.

Status?

Part V. The Lady's Cry

[xiaoxiuya]

As Duty carried Shen Yuan and Xiu Ya over the threshold and out of the Sleeper Farm, Xiu Ya discovers with considerable relief that her connection to the network has been restored. She immediately signs into the group chat and makes the following post --

This is Xiu Ya. The situation has somewhat improved; through Duty's valorous actions, Shen Yuan and I have been brought out of the abattoir where we were imprisoned. However, Shen Yuan remains entranced, and this blade still cannot wake him. This one would most humbly beg Masters Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao to come to his quarters within Outpost Haven and lend their aid. This blade suspects they are the only ones in Trench who possess the skill to assist him.

[Xiu Ya is freaking out, you guys. You can tell because she actually used a first-person pronoun, gasp, shock, alarm!]

early-mid november

[baiyueguang]

Sometimes you get a text in the middle of the night to come collect your friend who is, and he checks his omni once more and, yes, the word specifically used is 'tipsy'. Lan Xichen has some suspicions that may be an understatement and readies himself accordingly. It's always best to brace for the worst, and not have to be disappointed.

Shuoyue touches down just outside of The Red, and Xichen hops off, gesturing for the blade to return to its ornate sheath. When he enters, he finds Shen Yuan almost immediately in the lobby, and heads over to see just how hammered he got with Huaisang.

"Shen-gongzi," he greets, dipping his head a little in a more casual bow. "How are you?"

Re: early-mid november

[xiaoxiuya]

Considering that Shen Yuan is very eagerly reciting poetry to a long-suffering waiter who clearly just wants to wrap up his shift and go home -- and then, even more damningly, it takes him two tries to locate Lan Xichen's face in the air beside him -- the evidence is clear: he's fucking blottered.

"Lan-gongzi!" he says excitedly, and beckons the other man closer. "Come here, come here, I was just trying to remember the next line of this poem -- it goes something like, 'Love really needs courage to face gossip and rumors, As long as certainty is expressed in your eyes -- and then I can't remember the next part! Zewu-jun must know, right?"

set just before that one ^ -- the drinkening

[fanfavors]

If Huaisang misses anything with particular clarity - or, like, willingness to admit it - about the world they as cultivators have left behind, it's banquets. He isn't a bad host (other cultivators are just bad guests) and he enjoys the uncomplicated goals of eat good food and have good drinks and not try to kill one another for at least a few hours.

(Usually. See: bad guests.)

Now, drinks with Shen Yuan is not a banquet by any stretch of the imagination, it's more on par with having drinks with friends at an inn (also the distant past and keenly missed, to be fair), but. Well. Huaisang will take any excuse.

So he has indeed wheedled his way into a private room at the Red, where a staff member will lead Shen Yuan when he arrives. The room is fundamentally a large booth surrounding a massive table for a larger party, but hey: he's good for it, for sure. He's insisted on finding decor more suited to Shen Yuan's clan colors instead of so much red, and he's had a simply egregious amount of snacks set out to complement the alcohol. (And he didn't know what some of them are, so is there really a plate of nachos sitting on the corner of the table? Yes.)

He's ready to bounce off the walls in anticipation of Drinks With Shen-ge when the guest of honor arrives, zipping over to cling onto Shen Yuan's arm and wave his fan at the rest of the room. Behold. "Look, look— isn't it something? And this one has requested privacy, so Shen-ge can relax in peace."

[xiaoxiuya]

Right then, time to make some good memories. Shen Yuan smiles and allows himself to be drawn in by Huaisang's enthusiasm and grip on his arm, looking around the room and the array of snacks with interest. "A-Sang really went all out." When they separate to sit down he bows his head a little and says, "Thanks for inviting me," which would be shockingly casual if they were meeting under the weight of their two former ranks! But he thinks they've already established definitively that he and Huaisang operate better on a more casual basis. That didi beam is strong, what can he say?

Post Sleeper Farm - Late November/Early December

[baiyueguang]

Getting Shen Yuan to awaken after Duty had rescued him from the Sleeper Farm had been tricky in and of itself. Now, Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen were taking it in turns to gently pump spiritual energy back into him, and ensure that it flowed naturally between his meridians while he recovered.

It's Lan Xichen's turn today and he heads into the parlour after his morning meditations to check in on Shen Yuan.

The place the set up for him is quite cozy; a cot beside a window looking out into the gardens. There isn't much out there to see at the moment what with winter right around the corner, but they are still lovely regardless.

He taps his knuckles lightly against one of the folding screens that partition off the area so Shen Yuan can have a measure of privacy.

"Shen-gongzi? If you're decent, I'd like to come in."

[xiaoxiuya]

His announcement is well-timed; as it happened, Shen Yuan had gotten distracted by feeling sorry for himself mid-way through getting dressed, and at the moment of Lan Xichen's approach had been sitting and staring out the window in his underrobes. He startles at the sound of Lan Xichen's voice, shaking himself back to life as he calls out, "One moment, please!" and quickly shoves his arms through the sleeves of a green overrobe and ties it shut.

"All right," he finally says, after taking a moment to collect himself. "Lan-gongzi can come in now, if he still wants to."