Arrival of another Chinese wizard!

[jiangzaid]

WHO: Xue Yang + Various/Open!
WHEN: First couple days
WHAT: Finishing up TDM threads, plus fresh stuff!
WHERE: Around Gazin and the forest
WARNINGS: The Untamed general warnings aka ghosts, necromancy, dead things, killing said dead things, possible torture....and then there's Xue Yang who is kind of insane but trying to get better. :D EDIT: Gaaaay in thread with Xiao Xingchen. XD Just kissing though.

Arrival/Around Town:

Learning a whole new language in this way is interesting to say the least, but does it matter when it's useful? Yes, because he wants to learn how to do it too! Xue Yang plans to study that sort of magic if and whenever given the opportunity. Finding Xiao Xingchen alive again is enough to get his cooperation though, even without certain others playing into him promising not to go around stabbing just anyone. It's boring but...worth it.

Now though, he wanders through the town, sword sheathed at his back as he strolls along each street and alley, poking his head through open or unlocked doors to see what sort of people are doing what here. When he sees something he wants, or thinks Xingchen would like (or even Wen Qing...) he buys it before moving on.


Forest:

It can get boring in around the town though, especially when he has to behave. So forgive him, Wangji, Xingchen, for going out beyond the border of the town to let off steam and play with the other monsters out there again. Besides, it plays a part in keeping the people in town safer, right? He's being nice and helpful! Like a 'proper cultivator'! Instead of the half-crazy hooligan he's better known as, if not flat out rabid attack dog.

He mostly just uses his sword though, slashing, cutting, stabbing at everything that moves around him, often with a yell or mocking laughter to spur others on into moving foolishly and giving him an even better opening.

Comments

Settling in: Closed to Xiao Xingchen

[jiangzaid]

Finding a better place to live was the first thing on Xue Yang's mind after running into Xingchen, and finally he's found just such a place! At a discounted price, even! It's at the edge of town where merchants store their wares in preparation for selling or shipping, as he's actually managed to find employment as a guard for said wares. He leads his friend to it by the hand, other hand full of groceries he's also snagged over the day.

"Almost there, Daozhang! It's cleaner than our last place!"

[inwhite]

Xiao Xingchen smiles at those words. It probably wasn't hard to find a place cleaner than their last home, considering the kind of place that it was to begin with. The dirt floors and the straw-lined coffins that served as beds. He wouldn't complain if it was exactly the same here. They had a roof over their head, a fire to keep them warm, and somehow always just enough to eat. What more could he ask for?

"And you said that they don't mind the blind here?"

Because sometimes people do mind, as if his blindness might rub off on them. If that were the case, Xingchen would simply find another place to live, without forcing his friend to leave his new home.

[jiangzaid]

No coffin-beds this time! Xue Yang managed to wheedle an actual bed into the arrangement, as well as a kitchen that, while less used than the rest of the apartment, does actually work- he'd checked himself before agreeing to anything, including working for the merchant chain. And the stove doubles as their source of heat, but they're used to that.

He frowns at the question, not liking the reminder of how the other man has been snubbed for being blind before. The hand he holds is grasped a little tighter in reassurance and silent promise to not let such stupidity tear them apart any more here than in Yi City.

"It won't be a problem," he promises firmly.

"The door is just before us if you will open it?"

[inwhite]

He smiles a little at the tightened grip on his hand. He senses how it always bothered him, how he would always get upset on his behalf even when it didn't trouble Xingchen much at all. He hopes that it really won't be a problem, instead of his friend having to do anything to make sure that it isn't one.

Xiao Xingchen takes a deep breath, excited despite himself. He reaches out until he finds the doorknob, turning it and letting the door swing in. He tilts his head, listening.

"It's so much bigger."

He can tell by the tiniest little squeak that the swinging door made, the way it echoes through the room. He steps across the threshold, drawing the other man with him.

"How much did you say the job was paying you again?"

[jiangzaid]

Xue Yang focuses on Xingchen's face, watching his expression to see if he's pleased with their new home. He sees the excitement, watches the cute tilt of his head followed by the judgement and laughs as he's tugged unresistingly inside.

He leads Xingchen toward the kitchen so he can put the bag down, after nudging the door closed with a foot. The windows are large enough to let in light during the day, and he's bought some candles and grabbed some wood while he was out earlier to give them light and heat later (though some wood is already piled by the stove).

"Enough I can keep us fed. It's a portion of everything this merchant sells, and they seem pretty good at what they do."

He'd done his best to check with multiple sources before speaking with the man.

"There are more blankets, too, Daozhang!"

[inwhite]

Xingchen wanders through their new home curiously, one hand outstretched to learn the perimeters of everything, the size and placement of furniture. His other always holds on to Xue Yang though. It smells cleaner, and the bed is soft and wide with more than enough room for the other man.

He doesn't think of where he'll be sleeping. The floor would be fine, especially when he mentions extra blankets.

"I'll be able to help you soon." It has taken him a little longer to find a job, but there's still plenty of things that Xingchen can do as well as others, if given the chance. He smiles at the end of the little tour. "We'll be comfortable here. I like it very much."

[jiangzaid]

And Xue Yang follows faithfully at his side, ready to tug him back to his feet if needed (it never is, Xingchen is too light on his feet and graceful to fall). "The bed is big enough for both of us, if that's not a problem? I don't mind sleeping on the floor." He'd slept worse places, and Xingchen's comfort matters far more than his own.

The praise has him grin with delight, watching the earnest play of emotions over the other's face. "You don't have to. I'll take good care of you here."

in town

[radishlobbyist]

After they had established their truce slash alliance the evening of the town festival, Wen Qing is determined to keep this alliance going.

She is pleasantly surprised to run into him again while he is poking around the market.

"I thought I would have to hunt you down," she says in greeting. "I never thought to ask where you are staying." She is carrying a basket with her groceries, looking quite domestic in her peasant's dress.

[jiangzaid]

Xue Yang pauses at the familiar voice, and turns with a ready grin that turns a bit more genuine (less toothy) when he registers who exactly has found him. She's not the only one in new clothes, though his are still muted in color and simple (but tough) in make. Very sturdy for the work he's starting to do, but also to fit in a bit better, be less of a target for blatant money-gougers.

Practical.

And he also has a basket dangling from an elbow with produce. "I'd have found you if we didn't run into each other again soon." In truth he already knows where she works, and suspects where she lives. But because he does know...And he's trying to honor their alliance in more than just name...

"We have a set of rooms at the edge of town. I'm to guard the merchants' stores."

See? He even has honest work!

[radishlobbyist]

She sizes him up, genuinely amazed by this news.

"You have settled in well," Wen Qing notes, speaking both of the news of a home and a job, and pointedly letting her eyes wander over his basket and the new clothes he wears. Xue Yang looks comfortable here to her eyes. He looks like he fits in.

The pragmatist in her insists it's only a matter of days before he grows bored of this costume play and drowns the town in blood but the optimist remembers that he had worked for the Wen for years. He had been Wen Ruohan's attack dog but he hadn't been a rabid dog, not truly. It isn't like he'd let loose in the Nightless City, if he came to see Gazin as his homebase...

"These clothes suit you." She frowns a little. "Although I find the wool here very itchy."

[jiangzaid]

He knows it's a shock so brushes it off with just a slight jut of his chin in silent almost challenge. Almost. More amused than insulted. And there does seem to be praise in her voice as well, which is...actually kind of nice.

So the chin settles back to the normal jaunt as he studies her right back. She's right, too. He rather likes it here. Maybe it's a little boring but...he's adjusting. He has reason to.

"Of course," he chirps in answer. As boring as he can see it might be...he likes it here. He'd rather be bored than be without the light that is Xiao Xingchen again.

But her complaints about the itchy wool has him step closer, reaching out to finger one of her sleeves with a slight frown if she lets him (no hint of weapon in sight). Something to work on, and for Xingchen as well. He pulls back quick enough though, stepping half a step back.

"You're working at the apothecary, right?" He says instead. No real doubt- doctor.

[radishlobbyist]

She frowns as well at the familiarity of him simply reaching out and touching her clothes, but as startling as it is to have a man as dangerous as Xue Yang suddenly so close, his intentions turn out harmless enough. He's never cared much for social conventions, she remembers that much from what she had seen of his audiences with Wen Ruohan.

Wen Qing gives a quick nod in response to his question and makes the decision not to take a step back from his inquisitive hands - a conscious decision not to be seen budging. "I do. I was lucky he needed someone to help with the customers and preparing the medicines. He didn't care that I have no references, I just had to prove my skill to him." She tilts her head a little. "I prefer working more closely with the patients, actually diagnosing and treating them than just selling them cures to treat themselves, but I still get to help sick people. I won't be here for long, so it's good enough."

[jiangzaid]

Dangerous...but not so much to her. Xue Yang gleefully spits at the normal conventions of their society, even just barely toeing the line before Wen Rouhan. And only then, because of their agreement.

And she does deserve respect for how she'd kept her head before Rouhan's cruelty. "I'm sure that didn't take long," he responds, resisting too much sarcasm. But he also does mean it. She doesn't waste time or energy, from what he's learned of her.

But there is something he feels she should know, and the slight tilt to his head might clue her in. "Hanguang-Jun is here." Abrupt. But he's also clearly not full of holes, so...miracle?

"Wei Wuxian too, though I haven't run into him yet." And won't that be fun?

Forest

[snowandfrost]

His sword clangs against an ice dagger as he's slashing through the forest and glowing blue eyes angrily stare him down. With a grunt, she pushes the sword back toward him. She moves through the brush and closer toward him.

"Are you trying to attract attention or are you just walking around as bait for whatever monster is out here?" a distorted voice asks.

Sorry for delay!

[jiangzaid]

An ice dagger is something new, enough that Xue Yang pauses in his mad slashing. But he doesn't flinch from the angry eyes, only sharpens his grin as he adjusts his hold on Jiangzai to be more of a shield.

"I'm bored," he informs her, ignoring the distortion. "Why not see what's out here to play with?"

all good!

[snowandfrost]

The white haired woman scoffs, rolling her eyes at him.

"We're all bored here. Kind of just waiting right now to see how the hell any of us get home. And waiting is boring."

She doesn't put the ice dagger away and her eyes narrow, looking at his clothes, before returning to his face again.

"You know of a woman running around in red and black, ragged clothes?"

[jiangzaid]

He's never seen white hair on a young person before, but he doesn't let that distract him. Not when she's armed, and clearly ticked off.

Xue Yang rolls his eyes right back at her, head tilting side to side slowly, just little movements as he watches, a little annoyed at the interruption. But used to it.

"And you're complaining about other people coming out here for fun." The mocking tone hints at just what he thinks about that.

Her question has him pause though. Then shrugs- how many people could she be talking about?

"My sister. Why?"

[snowandfrost]

They could waste so much time rolling their eyes at one another here. At least her other half could start a clinic of sorts in town to bide their time as they searched for a way home.

"Ran into her in town. Kid was pretty freaked out that she couldn't find her brother when she got here."

[jiangzaid]

"Wen Ning isn't here," meaning Xue Yang isn't the brother Wen Qing is looking for. And yes, he sounds unconcerned about it.

"We're working on it." Because he basically bullied her into an alliance. He's nice that way.

Around town

[realmjumper]

Eufemia hadn't paid too much attention to Xue Yang as he wandered. The sword on his back was enough to warrant her notice, but his curiosity was no different than the others she had seen. But when he started poking his head into various houses, disturbing and surprising the people inside, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Shut doors must mean nothing in your world?" He would be able to understand her, as though she were speaking his language.

He was another new arrival, she could guess that much. Given his interest in every facet of this town, there was no way he was a native. Apparently as well, he meant to buy a number of items from the market as well. "You seem to be settling in well."

[jiangzaid]

"They would mean more if they were locked," Xue Yang gives her a mock-shocked look, eyes playfully wide as he lets the latest door close quietly.

Strange, how it feels like she speaks Chinese, when that wizard had spelled him to learn this other language. Had something similar been done to her, but with his language? It's still nice to be able to keep to the familiar tongue than the harsher new one.

He lets his eyes return to their normal size as he sizes her up. "I adapt quickly," he answers with a shrug.

[realmjumper]

She smiled to herself, having someone else that adapted quickly and was clearly curious was reassuring. Most of the others seemed to be in some state of shock still. Seeing someone else searching and inspecting every building was amusing, made all the better by his quick quip.

"Has this happened to you before?" It seemed unlikely, but she still held onto hope that he had traveled realms before as well. Given his confidence, she could have sworn that he might have, unless this world was similar to his own.

"What was your world like? Was it full of curious people like you?"

[jiangzaid]

"It's just another town," he waves it off. Not quite answering her question, but letting her draw her own conclusion to what he means.

"Most people are boring," he answers the last one, because in his opinion it's true. "There are a few who are curious enough like me." And only one worth living in the entire world.

"I'm still learning what's the same here and what isn't."

[realmjumper]

Not all towns were the same, as she learned, but he didn't seem quick to answer her question. She could understand and respect that, not wanting to share too much about herself either. She respects his noncommittal and leaves it at that, not bothering to push him.

"Most are," she agrees, even if she founds him a bit interesting for his curiosity. "Most hide what makes them less boring." A rarity, but still there was sometimes something there.

"The people seem friendlier than what I knew. That is a difference."

[jiangzaid]

Refreshing. So many like to poke and prod at other people until all their secrets are out- oh wait. He's one of them. When he bothers, at least. When he sees a reason to.

She makes him laugh though. "They're afraid to stand out, like mice." Not that Xue Yang has anything against rodents. He's very familiar with them.

"They don't know us all yet, or why we're here." As if he does. "People are still people, however pretty the place might be."