Mmhm! We went to the same school together when we were teenagers and our business intersected quite often when we were young adults. [Messily, but he'll leave that out... Which is good because he doesn't leave the REST OUT WHICH HE REALLY SHOULD.]
And then, wouldn't you know? The day I was brought back to life, I ended up running into him again! The winds of fate are hard to keep up with, aren't they? We've been traveling together since then.
[beck as that sweaty guy in the college humor sketch]
Ah, brought back to life! I died for a bit. It was a big secret until recently but now that it's out and I've ended up here, I don't see a point in keeping quiet about it, you know?
By coming back eventually. [Obviously!!] Anyway, that part's not important! [WHY] The important part is Lan Zhan being hilariously himself at the worst possible times and places.
Death is death! There's not much to talk about. Also, I'm still not entirely sure why or how everything happened that led up to my being not dead, so there's not much to talk about there, either.
[Isn't this just
such a fun conversation Beck.
Aren't you having a good time with ol' Wei Wuxian.]
No one really likes talking about death anyway, you know? Even if it ended.
Well, I did spend a lot of time around dead people.
[It comes with the whole necromancer gig... Death still isn't simple but it sure is easier to simplify it when you're just in the trenches 24/7!!]
—If you'd rather I not bring up things like that anymore, I don't have to, either. Just so you know! Even non-cultivators get a little stressed out when you spend too much time talking about their spirit problems.
Before we left, there was this... message, I guess, over the PA system. A PA system is, like, a device that says words loud enough for everyone to hear.
[She tries to recall the exact wording, but this just her best approximation.]
Someone was talking about how... There were 33 a few weeks ago, but now there were only 12, because something or someone was hunting them down. And - isn't that about how many of us are here now?
No. The recording kept flickering in and out, so all we really got really got was... They're hunting us down, like we're - something I couldn't catch.
[She takes a breath.]
But it wasn't a voice I recognized. So if it was someone who isn't in this group, it could mean they were describing something similar that has happened before, and if this is the second time around...
[It doesn't exactly bode well for their future.]
I'm getting the feeling this is more than just a kidnapping.
[Hm yeah that's bad! Sounds bad! He doesn't like that!
He sets his bowl down again, crossing his arms and legs and assuming some sort of weird gremlin Thinking Pose.]
And I'm getting the feeling that you're right about that. Begs the question as to what it is in that case, though... There's no way someone would just round people up to make an elaborate game of the hunt, right?
Right... I'm assuming anything that they didn't do right away, they either couldn't or didn't want to. Don't see why there would be a long pause like this before a big hunt either, since this is a little too much time if the purpose is just to get us to let our guards down.
["SOON". THAT'S OMINOUS.]
Did you get a look at that thing? Any sort of description at all would be good, even if it's just a size or color.
[Between that and her roommate it's no wonder she just wants to flee.]
That sort of thing would be enough to give anyone a fright if they aren't prepared! No one's ever ready for their first melted face, especially if it's their own. That's a pretty dirty trick, to be honest. What's the aim? Just to give you all something to worry about?
[Shaking his head... Ghosts are rude, news at 11.]
Did anything happen outside of that, or was it just that last try?
[He promised he'd chill out on the witchcraft nonsense okay, it's fine!!]
Hm... [HM.] ...Well, will you let me know if anything changes with that, too? If it comes back or if you suddenly have - I don't know, double vision or anything like that.
no subject
And then, wouldn't you know? The day I was brought back to life, I ended up running into him again! The winds of fate are hard to keep up with, aren't they? We've been traveling together since then.
no subject
...When you were what?
[She's expecting him to be highkey strange at this point but somehow that exceeded her expectations!!]
no subject
Ah, brought back to life! I died for a bit. It was a big secret until recently but now that it's out and I've ended up here, I don't see a point in keeping quiet about it, you know?
[THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.]
no subject
[BAD?? INCREDIBLY BAD???]
How do you just die for a bit?
no subject
no subject
[stares into the void]
no subject
[Isn't this just
such a fun conversation Beck.
Aren't you having a good time with ol' Wei Wuxian.]
No one really likes talking about death anyway, you know? Even if it ended.
no subject
You make it sound really simple.
no subject
[It comes with the whole necromancer gig... Death still isn't simple but it sure is easier to simplify it when you're just in the trenches 24/7!!]
—If you'd rather I not bring up things like that anymore, I don't have to, either. Just so you know! Even non-cultivators get a little stressed out when you spend too much time talking about their spirit problems.
no subject
[But, hm. That does bring her something else.]
Can I tell you something else? About - the room we were in. You have to promise not to tell anybody else just yet.
no subject
[A nod! He does seem very sincere about it, at least. He also seems entirely sincere when he replies to her request for a promise:]
If that's what you'd like, I won't tell anyone unless you ask me to. You have my word. ...What is it?
[it's sadako isn't it]
no subject
[She tries to recall the exact wording, but this just her best approximation.]
Someone was talking about how... There were 33 a few weeks ago, but now there were only 12, because something or someone was hunting them down. And - isn't that about how many of us are here now?
no subject
There are - or at least that's how many entries there were in the shell-book, last I counted.
[Which, to be fair, was hours ago by now... But he can't imagine just one or two extra people would show up after the bulk of them already had.]
Do we have any idea what that someone or something was?
no subject
[She takes a breath.]
But it wasn't a voice I recognized. So if it was someone who isn't in this group, it could mean they were describing something similar that has happened before, and if this is the second time around...
[It doesn't exactly bode well for their future.]
I'm getting the feeling this is more than just a kidnapping.
no subject
He sets his bowl down again, crossing his arms and legs and assuming some sort of weird gremlin Thinking Pose.]
And I'm getting the feeling that you're right about that. Begs the question as to what it is in that case, though... There's no way someone would just round people up to make an elaborate game of the hunt, right?
no subject
[aaaaaa]
Right before I saw what grabbed me, all of us heard something say... Soon. But - I'm kind of hoping it wasn't whatever I saw.
no subject
["SOON". THAT'S OMINOUS.]
Did you get a look at that thing? Any sort of description at all would be good, even if it's just a size or color.
no subject
[Haha!! This is bad.]
It actually looked like me. Same height, same everything, just - without a face. I mean, uh, the flesh melted off. While I was watching.
no subject
Anyway he's looking suitably concerned!!]
Seriously—?! That sounds awful! What a rude apparition!
no subject
Yeah, it's... [Bad!!] It's not like I wanted to sleep ever again, or anything like that, right?
no subject
That sort of thing would be enough to give anyone a fright if they aren't prepared! No one's ever ready for their first melted face, especially if it's their own. That's a pretty dirty trick, to be honest. What's the aim? Just to give you all something to worry about?
[Shaking his head... Ghosts are rude, news at 11.]
Did anything happen outside of that, or was it just that last try?
no subject
[She cuts herself off, because she probably Does Not want to know, and cements that point by quickly moving on.]
Just that, and this... pain in my head afterwards.
no subject
Pain? What kind? Does it still hurt?
no subject
[Says a silent prayer that he won’t bleed over everything again!!]
no subject
Hm... [HM.] ...Well, will you let me know if anything changes with that, too? If it comes back or if you suddenly have - I don't know, double vision or anything like that.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)