shinkunochou

[How to start a text out of the blue? Hi? Hello? No, that's far too lame.]

Yo! [nailed it] Sae, right? It's Soren! The knight who kept offering you his shoes. I wanted to check in on you, how's it been going?

[Oh no. A boy is messaging her WHAT DOES SHE DO. WHAT DOES IT MEAN.]

I remember. You're very nice.

I'm doing well. I don't really understand a lot of what's happening in the world ehre, but everyone's doing their best so I will too.

I have shoes now, in case you were worried.

Shoes! You did it. I'm proud of you. [he has to tease, not really overthinking if it reads over text]

I'm glad you're well. Taking it one day at a time here is just how it works.

Thank you. I will continue to try not to disappoint you.

I can't remember if you said or not, but how long have you been here?

I'm sure you'll do just fine at that.

been a while! Losing track of time it feels weird here, yknow? everything is new and different but not really bad. not most of it anyways

What was it like where you're from?

Plenty of shoes, I guess?

Ha! I lived in the royal castle so yeah no shoe shortage there

It was mostly a looooot less crowded! The castle could be pretty busy but we never had all these people living so close together. Why I like going out to the Wilde myself. more like home to have the forests and the wide open valleys

The royal castle? Were you a prince?

I understand though. The village I lived in didn't have many people either, so being here is really a shock... It's hard to imagine so many people living in one place like this.

[Soren could say, as it was just briefly true, yes, but he wouldn't feel good about it. His father taking the throne the way he did... Soren didn't think that made him much of a prince. Claiming as much wasn't right, especially with the true princes returned to where they belonged.]

Nah, I was a knight! A Crown guard! which is the best kind by the way. Means I protected the King himself. [of that, Soren could be proud of!]

Did you like your village? was it nice?

Edited 2020-08-29 00:36 (UTC)

Oh! A warriors then. Like a samurai. That sounds amazing. You're really impressive.

[Or something like samurai, anyhow? Whatever close enough.]

I liked it. I was never allowed to leave before, so it was my whole world. I didn't have anything else to compare it to. But honestly if I was with my sister, anywhere would be great.

The people were afraid of us but they respected us too. But it was lonely. It's nice now to see a new place I never would've been able to before. So I can't say I dislike this place much either.

Thank you! I worked by BUTT off to get as good as I am. Ever since I was a kid I've been training. Paid off though.

[Impressing! A! Girl! Heck yes, that'll just make Soren's day, a simple lad]

Now you're the one that sounds like royalty! What could people be afraid of little you for? You're so cute! [whoops, he typed that and then hit send way too quick, not even thinking. Soren stares at that text, making a face... hopefully that wasn't too much]

[She imagines it WOULD take a lot of hard work and dedication. It's impressive! She wishes she had that kind of dedication to something.

She also has no idea how to respond to being called cute. Help?? So it takes her a couple minutes to reply to the main point. Don't worry she'll get back to the 'cute' bit in a minute]

I don't know if I'd go that far. But our father WAS the head of the village and the ceremony master.

But it's because I'm a twin. Twins are like deities on earth, and our job is to protect the village. So there's a lot of awe there, but also fear. I guess it makes sense? I don't know. I never questioned it except to think it didn't seem fair. But I had my sister, so I didn't really care if the rest of the village did or didn't like me.

[Good job making Soren sweat for a few minutes, he really deserves it for that one.]

Whoa! I don't think I ever met a twin. Far as I know they're just kinda normal back in Katolis. Yknow like rare but not magic or anything I don't think. I have a sister too but she's younger than me. [they talked about this, didn't they... both missing their siblings, waiting and hoping for them to appear through the mirrors one day. Soren appreciates that someone knows how he feels about that, it could be difficult for him to admit as much, wanting to pretend he was more macho than that. He's not. He's absolutely not that macho]

You're making friends here, right? I got your back if you need anything

Edited (dw now hates my icons sorry) 2020-08-29 17:07 (UTC)

That's right, I remember we talked about siblings a little.

I think I'm alright. I've never really had friends outside my sister before, so I don't know if I know what really makes someone a friend. But people have been nice. I've been having fun.

I want to know: What's your sister like?

Her names Claudia. She's a TOTAL dork but that's kinda whats best about her. She knows a ton of stuff you can always get an answer to a tough problem from her. I'm muscle and she's brains sorta thing.

Not that I'm dumb! She's just always been better at studying and putting stuff together, you know?

[A quest to exorcise a ghost. Now here's the thing, Heralia knows ghosts. Probably better than most people. She's not exactly going to admit why here, but she can try her hand at talking to a ghost and find out what's up with it.

What she's not expecting is to run into a familiar face outside.] Oh, hello! Are you here to see a rabbit about a ghost?

[She’s been standing outside wringing her hands for a little while now, not entirely sure what she was going to say or how. Sure she’d told herself she was definitely going to do this, but...

Heralia’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts and she jumps, turning to face her.] What? Oh— um. Yes. It just seemed... like something I could actually help with.

[She seems a bit embarrassed, but tries to smile anyhow.] You too? I didn’t think many people wanted anything to do with ghosts...

sae! there's going to be another big brother living with us. i wanted to let you know before we got there.

[A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS?]

Oh? Are you coming now? I’ll go get tea started. Who is he?

that would be a nice welcome, thank you.

his name is wen ning. he's a good friend from home. he's a little different from most people, but he's kind and gentle. you'll have nothing to fear from him.

A little different?

[Gee, weren't they are??]

Is he a Witch or something else? [She really didn't like using the word 'monster.']

he's not really dead.

[...that's not at all a weird way to start.]

he's just...different from other living people. people were either afraid of him or made fun of him. but i know a-sae won't do either, that's why i know he'll be safe there.

he's a witch. i think that's probably a good thing.

[Not really dead? She can't say she fully understands such a thing, except-- Well. She was a little different in that way too, but she didn't really know how it worked between their worlds.]

I won't be afraid. If he's your friend, I'm sure he's nice.

[She shouldn't ask, but--]

How did he die? Or. Almost-die?

[after the jin dinner disaster, he'd promised himself that he'd protect her from as much ugliness of his world as he could. so he tries to think of an easy way to answer that question. but there's no way that wouldn't just leave her with more questions, and the knowledge that big brother hadn't answered wholly or honestly.

why is his world so dramatic.]

there was a war in my world, the wen sect against all others. wen ning was a member of that sect, so when they were defeated, his name was enough to make him evil in the eyes of the others.

he wasn't. he and his sister saved my life. they helped shijie and jiang cheng too, and i owed them. the wens who were allowed to live at all were held in detention and treated poorly. when i came across wen qing in the streets, she said that her brother had been taken away. she feared the worst.

when we found him, i thought he was dead. i realized too late that he wasn't, so when i brought him back to repay those who'd murdered innocents so casually and abused him...he wasn't under my control. a part of the good and gentle wen ning was still in there.

that's why he's different, and why he's not really dead.

[She tries very hard to imagine such a thing. She'd been separated from her sister. Captured. Had Yae searched for her?]

It's similar.

[To her, she means. Except Wen Ning got the better end. No one had come back for her and she'd never seen her sister again.

She tries to decide if she's jealous or hates that, but she can't muster up either emotion. Mostly she just feels sympathetic and a little relieved that at least someone got a better end than she did]

I understand. I'm glad he had people to save him. I'll take care of him too.

I'll get the really good tea out.

[he wishes it wasn't similar. he wishes it was shocking and hard for her to imagine. but this is why he felt that they woud get along from the beginning.]

ahhh looks like i won't be drinking liquor tonight. he'll probably want to make some for you too. and then lan zhan will join and it will never end. i wonder if tea hangovers are a thing.

[EXASPERATED EYE ROLL that he can't see but know that she's doing it!!]

Tea is better for you anyhow! AND it tastes much better!

you sound like lan zhan. but you've never tasted emperor's smile from gusu

I haven't had any alcohol before, really. It never smelled very nice, so I didn't want to taste it either.

what if i made some that smelled as sweet as it tasted. would you want to try it?

Can you do that?

I guess I wouldn't mind then. I'd be curious.

i used to make it back in lotus pier. but this one would be made to sae's tastes. what's your favorite fruit?

[She has to think about it for a moment.]

Strawberries! They're really sweet. I like peaches a lot too.

i will make you the sweetest strawberry wine, i promise!

[and paint stawberries all over the jar while he's at it.]

Okay. Even if it turns out terrible, I'll drink it all, because big brother made it.

The tea is almost ready. Should I just leave it out for you two?

[She's not entirely sure if he wants her to meet Wen Ning right away, or give the guy some time to settle with tea first.]

you have to tell me if it's not good. how else can i make it better if you don't?

don't you want to have tea with us? i'm sure wen ning wouldn't mind.

Well, I suppose that's true.

[Wei Wuxian MAY have a point there.]

Will he really not mind? If he doesn't, then it's alright. I'll drink with you both.

[On the day of the holiday, a plate of homemade cookies and a sample of herbal tea mysteriously appears on her doorstep. The wrapping is decorated with a fresh lily flower (actually a Fae magic product, designed to fade away from existence in a few hours) and a ribbon. The attached handwritten note reads as follows:]

Happy Modranicht! Let’s have another great year here in Aefenglom!

M⚜️

INBOX

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Happy Hauntings Quest~

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Modranicht gift