video | symphony 1, evening

[jingyeets]

( he's waving his hands already at the camera, looking a touch harried and with his tailtip visible and fluffed out: )

Hey! For anyone who's shifting into a dragon, or if you do, some advice for flying: don't worry about it. Try to swim, if you know what swimming's like. You're not a bird or a bat, nothing'll flap, so you know. Just keep swimming!

( palms pressed together, he makes his hands "swim" in a serpentine to try and indicate what he means. then nods to the camera. )

Garden carriage is where I'll be to fly with anyone who wants practise. I think it's got to be the void interfering with the candies. It's not gonna last, nothing in the candies is permanent, you'll be fine. Seriously don't crawl into small spaces though, that's not gonna be good if you shift back uncontrolled. Er... and you're going to be nude, so... plan for that?

Comments

[blue_ice]

[ A silvery-blue dragon twists and squints at him, crawling toward the ICP. His voice is still a little rough, still adjusting.]

How long will this last? Any idea?

[jingyeets]

Not for sure, but none of the candies give lasting effects, so...

( He holds up two fingers, doing some math, then holds up five. )

Under five hours at the longest?

[blue_ice]

All right.

[ The little Kaiba-dragon huffs and twists about. ]

I'll go to the garden, but do you think we could ask some of the humans to bring sheets or towels? I've tried dragging my clothes around. It's not going so well.

[jingyeets]

We're on ICP now, maybe shouting it enough will get people to listen. I'll bring some... I'll bring what I have. Or borrow things from laundry.

[blue_ice]

That's fine, thank you.

If there's enough time...I thought I might go to the baths. I'm small enough to swim laps around them, and it's marginally more acceptable for naked people to suddenly appear there.

[nell_of_soulwood]

Oh no! What went wrong with our candies?

[jingyeets]

Nothing! They were fine, we tested them, it's just... some weird... I don't know, I'm blaming it on the void! I can't transform anyone but myself, so that part makes even less sense than the rest.

[nell_of_soulwood]

Who knew the void could make something meant to be helpful go so wrong!

[jingyeets]

It's so messed up! Here we're being helpful, and the void goes and... does exactly what the void does! Cause headaches.

[nell_of_soulwood]

Do you think they'll still wear off the way they're supposed to? People won't be dragons and such permanently, I hope. Not that there's anything wrong with being a dragon, but if you're not born to be one it would be difficult.

[calmness]

[ a small dragon appears on the screen after some time, little claws digging into the top of the chair it's climbed up on. ] If it has not worn off within a certain amount of time, should we be worried?

[jingyeets]

Uh.

If you wake up still a dragon, then I'd start telling the Voidtrecker Express you don't want the size safety limits on?

( he knows that voice. THIS IS A NEW DRAGON? oh no it's hilarious and also a chest aching pain to hear and not see his sect leader as he should have been. no regrets on having a claim to his friend, but the disconnect is real. )

[calmness]

[ xichen lets out a soft huff which sounds less like a huff and more like a sigh, a squeak. why is he so small? ]

If I wake up still a dragon, Jingyi, there will be other issues than size. [ though he truly does not want to remain so small. he tries to move closer to the camera and wobbles, falling over with a lack of grace that is probably unseemly to someone used to seeing a graceful lan xichen in this form. ]

Have others been stuck longer than intended?

[jingyeets]

Uh, no, because this wasn't intended?

( he just looks confused. )

I can't make anyone a dragon, that's not how any of my abilities or even my bloodline works. I mean, I guess if I was married to a human capable of giving birth I could that way, but that's not what's going on here.

[calmness]

Were the candies not meant to do this? For a shorter duration? [ oh dear.

and the rest is ignored because it's still weird to talk about jingyi making little jingyis. ]

[flatteries]

[ Look, the dragons is one thing.

That's not even Inigo's concern here, especially since he is - thankfully - dragon-transformation free. No, Inigo's concern obviously lies somewhere else entirely, and he's basically squeaking by the time he speaks up. ]

W-Wait, and we don't know when people will transform back?!

[ Are you saying he could be around nude people any moment now?! ]

[jingyeets]

( There is a very solemn pause here. Then he blinks, and offers: )

That ribbon I gave you before will work as a blindfold if you wrap it around twice.

( .................................. the sad part is this is him trying to help with Inigo's particular functional concerns. )

[flatteries]

I can't wear that the entire time on the train! I'll walk into doors!

[ Inigo will definitely walk into doors. There's no way he's graceful enough to be able to avoid them blindfolded, no matter how long he's been on the train.. he can't find his way around without lights.. ]

.. can't you warn me once you see people starting to turn back? Just send me a message? P-Please, Jingyi, you have to save my life! [ Because the other at least seems to understand how important this is for Inigo.

And Inigo's tiny, easily startled heart. ]

I'll do anything for you in return..!

[jingyeets]

( even if it's a straight line, jingyi also knows he'd run into things, or smack his tail into things, or stub his toes if blindfolded and not shoving qi out every direction to get a sense of what's there, so... he understands the reluctance. )

Yeah, sure, but I'll either need to know where you are or shout out across the whole train. Doesn't bother me either way. Try avoiding the garden carriage, huh? I'm aiming a few people that way. I'd say the spa carriage is a no-go too... feel like hanging around in the dance carriage for a while?

[flatteries]

[ That certainly wouldn't be a punishment for him, spending the day there.

Though it's not like Inigo is exactly jumping for joy to admit that. ]

I guess that might be the best solution.. If only you could lock the doors there. [ He pauses, and then adds: ] I guess I could just stay in my room. I mean, no one else can come in there, and I don't think Tidus turned into a dragon..

[ H-Hopefully?! This is his one chance at staying safe in this minefield, okay. ]

[asheaveniswide]

I would very much like to .. practice. The previous time I have spent in dragon scales, it was much too large for the train. Something much smaller sounds fun. I'll be by soon.

[He sounds rather enthusiastic, in all honesty. Dragon? Sign him up!]

How long should I expect this alteration to last?

[jingyeets]

Yeah, see you when we're all there.

( lifting his brows, since that enthusiasm is more like what he'd hope people feel, and less like what he expects people suddenly deprived of bodily autonomy would feel. )

Less than two and a half shichen? Five hours.

[asheaveniswide]

.. Oh, a fair bit of time then. On that case mayhap I should bring water and food, small beasts burn energy much faster than large..

[Zenos' words trail off as he debates what small dragons might even need to eat before frowning.]

On my way.

[And off he goes - but there's going to be a delay. When the towering blond man finally DOES turn up, it's with a wide, shallow bowl, a bottle of water, and a small tray of assorted foods, some fruit based, some plant, some meat, all diced into little pieces.

Little dragons have little mouths. And who knows what diet might be required for any given tiny dragon. Zenos is absolutely looking forward to this; some people might find it alarming, but it seems perfectly safe to him or the train surely wouldn't allow it! If no SCAs were going insane, it's just for entertainment.]

[jingyeets]

Oh! Yeah, do that, people probably aren't used to eating as much as I do!

( not that he helpfully provides any guidance for what "eating" consists of, but in fairness, unless people share his dietary restrictions, he doesn't know of any actual restrictions. dragons from other clans eat just fine.

he does eventually make it to the garden carriage as he said, wearing his loose over-covering from the floating island system. sali traditional garb. he looks around for any little dragon being present before he considers transforming himself, heading for one of the stone benches in the carriage. )

[asheaveniswide]

[While Zenos has also brought the offending candy along with him, more important is setting down snacks, and then taking a moment to fill the bowl with water. Although he seems fairly neutral and calm at first glance, there is a certain almost tangible air of glee were one to pay attention for long.

Jingyi's surprise isn't unwelcome for everyone, it seems. He's just pleased as punch.]

Hopefully I have gauged what dragons might require accurately.. should they sup upon souls or aether or blood, I cannot provide.

[This is both completely serious and utterly not - had someone required blood the train likely would be storing it! --Oh right, politeness. This is after all, a gift! One must mind one's manners!]

I .. don't believe we have been introduced before. I am Zenos yae Galvus; thank you for this opportunity.