[Voice] Imagination 22

[ayao]

[He is tired and sad and more beside himself than he would like to admit.]

Xue Yang, answer me.

[That isn't how he wants to begin this broadcast, so he breathes in...and out.]

Has anyone seen Chifeng-Zun? I cannot find him and I know of no ill that has befallen him.

[Now, the part that really hurts.]

Huaisang, Zewu-Jun, I have failed you in not protecting him. I tried.

Comments

voice;

[lanxichen]

Young master Meng.

[ Xichen's own voice is a little rough, too. He's answering from the garden car, where he first met da ge again. ]

It... may not have been something you could have prevented. I have asked, and people who have been here longer have said that sometimes people go missing as he is, with their names on the list... in gold. Sometimes they return. And other times, come the day when the train stops at a platform, they are gone. It...

It is not him alone who is gone like this. But as it is an occurrence that happened long before you were brought to the train, I do not think you can be blamed.

voice;

[ayao]

[The sound of Xichen's voice makes the tears well in his eyes again.]

I meant to keep us together. I thought I could. He gave me a chance - as have you - and I prayed for time to -

[He bites the inside of his cheek, silencing himself. This feels terrible.]

May I see you?

voice;

[lanxichen]

A chance was given, and then taken. It is better than to not have had a chance at all.

[ Xichen hesitates, then adds, ] I am in the garden car. If you wish.

[ He is not as his best, his eyes reddened almost all the color is to his face - against the bright orange of his train-assigned attire, he probably looks like he's about to fade away. But he's out and about and using words, and that's... something? ]

action;

[ayao]

[He knows now that Da Ge cares for him. Yes, that is better than not knowing - even if it breaks his heart to be away from him.

Once he learns of Xichen's location, he arrives shortly, looking as pale as the other man. He kneels at the man's feet, peering up at him imploringly.]

Zewu-Jun, you need to take care of yourself. Have you eaten today?

Voice

[mtsilver_conquor]

If his name's in gold, he's gone to the conductor.

[And that means-]

I'm sorry.

Voice

[ayao]

Conductor? What does that mean?

Re: Voice

[mtsilver_conquor]

The...driver, for lack of better wording right now, of the train.

He could very well return. I've been myself a few times and come back. As have a few others.

Voice

[ayao]

No, I mean, what becomes of him if he goes to the conductor?

[so_dark_a_road]

His name isn't in gold on the passenger roster, but there's a black heart beside his name, and that means a death. Did he die in the last mission?

I'll be regretful if he doesn't return. I tried very hard to befriend him, and I had hopes that I could help him create a new life here.

[ayao]

A... A death? [His blood instantly runs cold.] N-No. He's...returning to his death.

[Caused by him, no less. Meng Yao has to sit down; his legs are shaking too badly.]

He... He deserves that.

[Yet Meng Yao is the one who is given that opportunity instead. Why?!]

[so_dark_a_road]

The train only puts that black heart there when the passenger has died either on a mission or on the train.

You think he's going back home to his death? [ Not surprising, since Xue Yang must have made a lot of enemies in his own world. ]

I think everybody deserves a second chance. I wanted that for him. I guess you did, too.

[ayao]

I know he is. [But he isn't speaking of Xue Yang. He is talking about Nie Mingjue - or Chifeng-Zun.] He...didn't die. Are we speaking of the same passenger?

[xue_yang]

I didn't kill him.

[Because he is assuming that is why he is being called out so suddenly.]

[ayao]

But you did perish yourself!

[Why is that bothering him so much?]

[xue_yang]

I did. Surprisingly not caused by anyone from our world.

[He laughs because he clearly isn't bothered by dying at all.]

[ayao]

I feared...that you gave your eyes to Daozhang Xingchen. [Stop doing these crazy things, Xue Yang.]

[Voice]

[hotheadwarmheart]

[After a brief delay...]

I checked the passenger roster; I don't see that name anywhere, but I did see two people's names from your world in gold: Nie Mingjue and Jin Rulan. I know that people from your world have a few different names, so if that's either of them, then it means they've been taken to the conductor.

They might be back, or they might not be. We'll... likely know for sure at the next platform.

Either way though, I'm sorry. I know how rough it is, not being able to protect people you care about.

[Voice]

[ayao]

That... Nie Mingjue is who I seek. [Or...sought.] I do not recognize the second name. [But he feels like he should. Another bastard son of his father, perhaps?] I do not understand what becomes of them when they go to the conductor?

[He closes his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth.]

It is...entirely unfair. To them. I wish I had taken their place.

Re: [Voice]

[hotheadwarmheart]

No one's really sure; those who come back don't really remember anything from the time they were gone. Far as I know though, no one's really come back injured or anything if they weren't already, so at least there's that. It's not much, but it's... something, I guess.

[He sighs.]

And I'm not gonna argue with you there. It is unfair. But if it happened to you instead of them, then it'd probably be them here worrying about you. So it really just sucks for everyone involved.

voice

[marriedanidiot]

Penneth, what is the matter?

voice

[ayao]

Nie Mingjue...has disappeared.

Re: voice

[marriedanidiot]

Oh my dear... do you want some company?

[only_one_wei]

[Checks the ICP to see where the other man is, then goes to find him.]

Meng Yao.

[ayao]

[He is shaking and pale and -

Not good.]

Nie Mingjue is missing. I went to wake him and he wasn't there!

[only_one_wei]

His name is in gold. Has anyone explained what that means?

[He pulls a flask out of his sleeve.] Have a sip of this. It will fortify you.