nebula 1; video

[flatteries]

[ Guess who isn't used to making announcements over this thing and is heavily trying to surpress some social anxiety right now? This guy.

To his credit, he manages to smile rather convincingly, no matter how much he's sweating on the inside. ]

Hello, everyone..! I'm not sure if a lot of people tried out the arcade back on Diagad, but there was this charming game that involved having to dance..? [ DDR. He means DDR.

He just doesn't know it. ]

Either way, it was a lot of fun, so I got one of those machines for it here on the train! Anyone can use it, just.. please be careful and don't break it? It cost a lot of points! [ He worked hard for those!! ] If anyone thinks that it looks or sounds like fun, but has no idea how to use it, feel free to ask me for help! I can teach people!

[ ...

There's a slight pause, and then he adds with a bit more awkwardness: ]

Ah, and if.. someone could help me move that big, heavy thing.. I would certainly appreciate it.

Comments

[jingyeets]

Oooh, you're gonna play it too?

( Jingyi looks Curious because of their conversation back on Aquafir, but for the sake of the last: )

Sure, I can move it for you. Where are you wanting it? Near where the Veearr is, or one of the other carriages?

[redmeguca]

You've got all the clones I can summon if you need them. Seriously, you're now my... maybe second or third favorite person on the train.

[agoodsoul]

You what-

[Oh my god, Inigo. He remembers playing this with you on Diagad! He lost spectacularly.]

You're fucking brill, mate. Does this mean we're getting a rematch?

[lanxichen]

I... think I should be able to help with the relocation. Where would you like to have it placed?

[jingyeets]

Oh! Oh! Yes! Pick me and Zewu-jun!

[so_dark_a_road]

I can help you with the moving, if you like. I'm pretty strong. And thanks for acquiring the machine!

[flatteries]

[ UGH, Jingyi, what is that curious look for! Is this really something they have to get into where anyone can hear it--

Wait, hold on. ]

Vee.. arr..?

[ Inigo is familiar enough with the VR to say it properly, yet not familiar enough to realise that Jingyi is trying to refer to that with the odd way he's saying it.

Mister night. ]

[flatteries]

Aww, that's--

[ .. wait, hold on. Inigo stops mid-reply as he realising that's a girl saying it to him. A girl claiming he's now one of her favourite people on the train.

Oh no. Sweet Naga. He can already feel a blush starting to creep its way up his cheeks. ]

Erm, I.. I mean.. It's only natural for me to do it for lovely people such as you..!

[flatteries]

[ Okay, he will address this whole 'rematch' thing, but first there's something else that has to be addressed here.

Like the weird words Dennis keeps using! Dude, are you speaking a different language entirely?! ]

You didn't just secretly insult me, did you?

[flatteries]

[ WHAT IS THIS SUDDEN ENDORSEMENT. ]

Ah, you two.. know each other?

[ Granted, they do both have that same sort of look going on.. It must be yet another person from Jingyi's world, he thinks. ]

[lanxichen]

[ World similar enough for people to know each other and yet different. Xichen doesn't do the dragon part, however - but he's still plenty strong.

Xichen is not exactly cheerful, but his expression does lighten with Jingyi's enthusiasm. ]

We do, indeed. Together would make navigating the train to the intended destination likely much easier.

[flatteries]

Thanks, Curufin! [ Inigo - while grateful - isn't even surprised that Curufin offered to help out. That's just what the other guy is like, which means that he's met by a big smile on Inigo's end. ]

I think I've got enough help moving it for now, but.. aren't you interested in playing it sometime?

[ It's a genuine, curious question! He can't really imagine a guy like Curufin in an arcade, but who knows.. ]

[jingyeets]

( Jingyi knows why, to degrees, Zewu-jun is not generally up for smiling, but. But!

He's out here engaging, and also, they can definitely tackle moving things together like no problem. )

Zewu-jun is my sect leader from another world! He's one of the strongest people I know, so we'd be a great team, nothing to worry about.

( absolutely Confident in this! )

[jingyeets]

( Jingyi gestures towards his eyes and head as he says: )

The thing that makes you see illusions through the eye thingy?

( what are the words for this anyway. also look, he didn't say, wow good work you're bridging the gap to dancing in front of people!

.. he just thought it. )

video

[sos_pilot]

[ pause.
pause.
pause. ]

Inigo.

Are you telling me we have a DDR machine?

[redmeguca]

...Yeah, make that fourth or fifth. Listen up loverboy, cause I'm only gonna say this once: I ain't interested in guys. Never have been, never will be.

[flatteries]

[ Don't worry, Inigo has encountered the hardly-smiling types before.. he's friends with one back home! He can handle this!

.. though perhaps a little less when Jingyi says the other is his sect leader - even if it's from another world. Should.. Inigo be more respectful here? Probably, right? ]

Ah.. In that case, I would be very much honoured if you could help out, milord! [ JINGYI, DON'T YOU BETRAY HIM BY SAYING THIS IS NOT THE WAY HE USUALLY TALKS. HE'S WATCHING YOU, DUDE. ] I'm not exactly weak myself, but moving around an entire machine like this is out of my realm of capabilities..

[flatteries]

Oh.. VR!

[ It's a good thing that the whole VR thing is still just barely foreign enough to Inigo that he can actually understand that description fairly easily. Thanks for being on the same pre-technology wavelength as him, Jingyi. ]

Yes, I was planning on putting it there. It would be best if we kept all game-related things in that carriage, right? So it won't bother anyone else.

[flatteries]

... yes?

[ Yes, that's some hesitation in his voice right there as he gives that answer. How can he not be hesitant in the way she's saying it?

(Also, he's pretty sure the name was DDR.. He thinks..) ]

Why? Is that a.. bad thing?

[flatteries]

Well, that makes one of us..

[ For a moment it seems like Inigo assumed that was inward narration, rather than outward, so he seems to pause, doing a doubletake before he quickly shakes his head and continues: ]

I-- I mean! Milady, you wound me so!

[lanxichen]

[ Jingyi probably mostly remembers that for his entire life until recently, Lan Xichen's smile was easy and gentle and almost always present. Its absence in the months since he lost most of his reasons to even try to smile has been very conspicuous, that is all.

His eyes are kind if sad, anyway. ]

There is no need for a title as that, I am not a lord as such. As for strength - normally I could probably carry it on my own, it only would be a little cumbersome to try to see around it in a narrow passageway. Two would be definitely better, and we can coordinate more easily than many.

I will be coming to where I think you are in a moment. The sooner it is done, the better, is it not?

[redmeguca]

You wanna drop to sixth? Cut all the "milady" stuff out, my name's Kyoko. I may be a girl, but I'm definitely no lady.

[flatteries]

[ Please, he's not aiming to be at the top of any girl's favourite list!

Though thankfully her reaction is much like what he's used to. ]

That's just how we refer to ladies where I come from! [ .. sometimes. ] Some people seem to call it the good oldfashioned times.

[melodiouspacifist]

[ Do you know...who did NOT...get to play DDR? ]

Wait, there's a dancing game? What kind of dancing game?

[ There was a dancing dungeon which was pretty fun... ]

[sos_pilot]

This is...

ONE OF THE BEST DAYS ON THE TRAIN EVER!

[ Someone is psyyyyched. ]

I kicked tail all the time on those things when I was a given! I can't tell you how many times I used up my allowance on those groove machines!