video; kazoo 18

[stardustofdawn]

[Despite everything that happened with people from their homeworld gone home, but some remain on board. There should be good news on the horizon. Playing in the video is a man wearing white robes with long billowing sleeves sitting in the garden after a meditation session. On his lap, a black and white dutch rabbit sits as he pets]

Greetings everyone. It's a rare day I announce anything, but for those who don't know me, I'm Xingchen. First, I work in the medical carriage now, and I'm studying as hard as I can to make up a shortage of healers on board. [By studying, he reads and works from dusk to dawn, 40 hours a week] I'm getting good at handling some medical equipment and knowing the names of the medicine and their effects, so any help with my studies would be appreciated. While I'm inexperienced, I'm diligent and so far, I know first aid, handling needles, taking blood pressure, and stabilize the injured. You'll find me working in the medical carriage and I take up my office.

Second, I have a rabbit. Her name is Lixue. She's saying hello. You can meet us meditating in the garden and play with her, though I don't have time to meditate because of my studies.

Lastly, I'm engaged and about to get married soon. Xue Yang and I will be married. While I have no idea where to start organizing or find someone to officiate us, but my partner and I talked about it. Any help organizing or preparing a wedding and a party will be appreciated. We're thinking of marrying next month, which is why I make this post.

And for those who knew him, please let your objections be known. I hope with this marriage, there is peace for the both of us and as well as complete and total forgiveness, as I want to clear his name. I myself gave him a second chance to start over.

Comments

[xue_yang]

You're really going to ask for objections? They might get you to change your mind...

[stardustofdawn]

I already made up my mind. I someone who keeps my word. So far, I haven't anything for the past few hours, and I finished my shift.

[xue_yang]

Just because you haven't heard it yet doesn't mean you won't. But at long as you won't listen then it is fine.

[stardustofdawn]

[He disconnects and hangs up his labcoat in his office. He's going to leave Lixue in the hutch in the garden to play with Wangji's rabbits and he's goes to meet up with him for dinner in the dining car]

The objections is very few and I haven't changed my mind in marrying you yet. Are you worried that I will change my mind?

[xue_yang]

[He looks up as Xingchen arrives.]

Maybe a little. It's not like I'm the best choice out there.

[herarrows]

There seems to be quite a bit of that going around lately. I wonder if it's catching.

[stardustofdawn]

Hm? What do you mean? People leaving the train or people getting married?

[herarrows]

Both, oddly enough. And here I am, completely oblivious until the announcements.

[stardustofdawn]

Ah, I see. I decided to get married because of that. Some people from my world left recently without saying a word and so much a good-bye. So my partner and I were thinking of getting married while the train give us the time given.

[herarrows]

It makes sense, and we Heralds tend to think the same way, it just sort of seems like it's coming up quite a bit recently is all.

And congratulations.

vidya

[weifinder]

( Here's Wei Wuxian, pursing his lips, as if contemplating something. Then: )

Nah. Shishu, you're free to forgive as you like, that's your business.

( And given this is tied into marriage, he frankly thinks it's not clear headed business, but he's not going to bother saying that, because he also has no stake in who his martial uncle marries. Even if it's someone as unbalanced as Xue Yang. )

The best I can be bothered to give is tolerance. Clearing whose name? Why, did he come from before massacring clans and independent sects? Delighting in destroying lives to fit his narrative of hypocrisy in the righteous world? I will tolerate his existence. I will judge and act based on the deeds he does here. Complete and total forgiveness?

( He snorts, but leaves it at that. Nah. Meng Yao doesn't have complete and total forgiveness. Xue Yang certainly isn't getting it either. Do better, that's all he could say. )

Congratulations on your happiness, shishu. ( The faintest attempt at a bow. ) Your rabbit's cute.

[stardustofdawn]

Ah, my dear nephew... [Dear nephew he would argue that Lan Wangji works hard in clearing his name for more than 16 years, a decade of tolerance, fortitude, and patience. Of course, what Xingchen hopes to accomplished in a similar vein as such as Xue Yang's crimes is more heinous than his crimes of murdering righteous cultivators in the name of justice and harnessing resentment energy]

Complete and total forgiveness from me, and that's a start for him and us. Tolerance and peace is all I can ever ask for. During his time on the train, he did a mistake, and he got hurt, but whatever he did, it did much damaged to his soul, but there's a healing as well when I arrived and this train gave him a second life.

He changed and transformed a little. He has proven his worth and regrets. Though it wasn't an immediate change, his becoming is slow and gradual, and he needs all the time to become what I need him to be and we all could guide him in the right direction for him to be redeemed.

Thank you. You're welcome to come to our wedding. If you could, will you attend the tea ceremony? [He is his only relative and family]

[weifinder]

( In full, total honesty, he tunes most of this out, because... he really does not care. He will believe in a changed Xue Yang when he sees him acting in such ways that indicate it; until then, he finds it moot.

Lan Zhan did not shift any tide in sixteen years of trying to find any hint of Wei Wuxian's departed soul. It was only at the unveiling of Jin Guangyao's doings that any public perception shifted, that the Yiling Laozu was not treated as the only haunted visage looming in collective nightmares. )

... On two conditions. One, you bring the rabbit. Two, Xue Yang never comes near A-Qing.

( He's lived through her memories, albeit from a different set of them, and he buried her once. She is not a cultivator, and doesn't need to bear that concept of forgiveness of the man who willingly blinded her, killed her, for the audacity to know he was in fact responsible for his own crimes.

And he's always had a protective, softened streak for kids. )

[stardustofdawn]

[Unfortunately he himself died before all of that becomes validated, and he's well aware how complexed his situation is, so coming out and announcing is no small feat, and defending a criminal whose acts are awful and at best, scummy is the best description...even he himself condemned him once and his decision may cause pain to his dearest friend Song Lan across the multiverse should he ever appear, and the people he hurt and killed with his blindness. Its not easy, but he doesn't want to keep his marriage a secret since Xue Yang made himself well known before of his arrival]

He cares for the rabbit, but yes I will bring her.

[Ah yes, on A-Qing...]

He promised me and swore that he never wanted to bother A-Qing and he isn't interested in her, despite that he has his...issues. [Not with what happened with his murder of her on her first day on the train...which he isn't there to witness it but he highly doubts he is able to prevent with his presence if he can turn back time, but he takes Alice and A-Qing word and the words of others for it, and there's more than enough evidence and even Xue Yang confessed his crimes and his regret]

If anything, other than myself, I find that he distance himself from other people and he's only interested in completing his missions and doing his job, and preferred to be quiet and alone. He already confessed his sins and shown regret.

I did my part to protect her and him both. I think she is in one of my other nephew's hands and under his protection, and she even took his last name. That version of my nephew left the platform the other day.

[weifinder]

I know.

( He's gleaned that much from the young woman on board, from what he'd observed of his other self and associated Lan Zhan, and he knows that said self left the train. He'd seen him leave. He'd sought out Lan Zhan after. )

She's also under my protection—along with Lan Zhan. At least two of them.

( Possibly all three? He won't make claims for all of them, but he knows for sure about two. )

My conditions are what they are. Guarantee those, and have him say the same, I'll be there.

I'm sorry for her

[knifewithnoname]

You do be getting married to Xue Yang?

[She sounds absolutely incredulous. First off. Who would even get married to Xue Yang? He's a stupid baby. He whines all the time. Her tolerance of him might have gone up since she met him as an actual starvling child but still. He isn't very useful, not good husband material at all. Probably. What does she know about marriage?

But also wasn't this Qing's brother? And he was marrying her murderer?

Does she care? Maybe. Wei Qing's her friend. Does Wei Qing know? Maybe. Maybe he doesn't know about her murder...

That would be like Wei Qing. To not tell anyone.]

Do there no be being anyone else you can be getting married to?

[stardustofdawn]

[He's maybe a rotten whiny murderous gremlin with half a brain, but perhaps that's why he needs that other half of his brain to guide him the way. And that's not true, he has proven his usefulness as a skilled warrior on the battlefield during the missions, fighting for others in a battle that is of not interest for him, but rather as a hobby and for sport, but that's something with purpose.

Xingchen has a soft personality on the surface, but he has a gentle and very determined heart. He was blind before and he regrets his mistakes, he isn't so much blind now, more aware and alert of what he has done, and even after the transplant surgery, he can see better and trying to understand]

There was, but I highly doubt if I ever see Song Lan again. The train doesn't give me or anyone much of a choice or a chance.

[A pause, a beat then]

I know what he has done. But he has changed much. I see it for myself as to how he transformed. I'm starting to get to know him and I know him personally. Despite he caused a lot of pain to others, A-Qing especially, he hasn't spilled any blood since I came along and he lives with me, and he promised peace, I'll make sure of that.

I'm not sure how much time the train we will give us, so getting married make sense to us. And we're both happy. I'll make sure he can be a good man and keep his temper checked.

[knifewithnoname]

[She wrinkles her nose. She's not sure who Song Lan is, but they were probably a better choice that Xue Yang. Even if he claimed he had changed. He hadn't spilled any blood in a while, because this man told him not to?

But honestly the murder was the least of her worries. The only reason she mentioned it at all was because of Wei Qing. The idea that someone who called themselves good could love someone who was a murderer. That idea was strange. But people on the train were strange.]

And what if he do be murdering again? Or breaking that peace? Will you be... un marrying him? [It sounded like they had a deal and it sounded like a good one for Xue Yang. But he was the wriggly sort and might find a way to break it.]

[stardustofdawn]

[She did asked who is he considering marrying, and it was Song Lang before this happened. It's complexed because should the train returns him, he's already dead. And he had been waiting for him. The choice made his lonely heart torn into two.

It's true, the man told him not to. It works. Because he guide Xue Yang to listen to him.]

This time, I'm not blind anymore and I'll be able to stop him. A-Qing doesn't have to worry. I am protecting her in my own way. I think with lots of people on her side, Xue Yang wouldn't be interested, a murder isn't necessary. I recognized he has issues with his temper and anger, so hopefully my presence will calm him. When he gets angry, he lets off steam in the gym instead of raising a sword at me and that's how I know, he has gotten better.

I do not know, but he isn't showing signs he wanted to kill again. He's really distant and preferred to be alone, so isn't interested other than going on missions and doing his job. That might be a good thing. He just needs encouragement on good behavior, so I'm truly watching him.

[knifewithnoname]

Well. You did be thinking it through. [It seemed he thought he could control Xue Yang. Which might be the case. He had been calmer lately. So maybe this Xiao Xingchen really did keep him calm.]

I do be thinking Wei Qing will be worrying though. She do be doing that a lot.

[10billionpercent]

[ He has no objections and he rather openly likes Xue Yang, and hasn't had any reason to change his mind on that. ]

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.

[ He also, at least, knows that's the polite thing to say. ]

[stardustofdawn]

Ah Senku, thank you. You and Gen are welcome to come if you want, you're both invited.

We'll be having ours after the next mission, so it sabout...well, I can't keep track of time, so shortly after yours. So congratulations to you both.

[10billionpercent]

We'll come. [ He's not even gonna ask, he'll just drag his husband with him. ]

Also, thanks. Xue Yang already promised me he was coming to mine, so I hope you come too.

Knowing how things go on this train, next mission should be in a couple of weeks, so it's not long at all. Is there something you would like in honour of the occasion?

[stardustofdawn]

I'll be coming to yours certainly. [Xingchen is a little slow to start a friendship, but he's becoming to warming up to people] I learned that I rather like happy occasions.

[With a soft laugh, he smiles] He's really going? That's new. He doesn't seem to be the type to attend such an event.

[But that amuses him greatly so he wanted to see how he behaves]

I have no idea. Everything is spontaneous. Three days ago, me and Xue Yang were discussing marriage and now we're engaged, so I'm brainstorming what our wedding will be like. If I could remember my nephew, Wei Wuxian's wedding, it's going to be similar and yet different, because it will be our version and it will be a special day.

For yours, I will try to make tea if you like? Or help you cook food and set up the catering for your wedding.

[10billionpercent]

Well, we're having cake and wine so that was enough. [ He smirks a little bit, truth is they're friends, but he's not really the type to call that out. ]

I recall that wedding. [ He and Gen had some fun. ] Ours won't quite be like that, it's more party than anything. Village traditions.

[ He considers that, he was going to make the food himself, maybe with Gen's help. ]

I wouldn't turn you down, it's enough work to prepare a meal for everyone, even with what I'm thinking.