Open: April things

[alittlespicy]

WHO: Lan WangJi and OPEN
WHERE: Edge of the woods, around Chroma... things.
WHEN: From sometime after Pyra's invitation onwards during April.
WHAT: Various and sundry. Cutting down trees. Showing off strength (not on purpose). Wolves maybe.
WARNINGS: Emotional ow? Will edit if other things come up.

Some prompts as comments; if you want to come bother WangJi, just tag in or poke me at kikibug13

Comments

[alittlespicy]

[ WangJi considers all the words, for a moment. Then his face softens. Though Wei Ying wants to step away from him, he is not different. Always, always trying to make life easier for people, whether in a big way, like ridding the world of a menace, or in small ways, like keeping the floors clean or tending the garden or guiding towards the threat in a night hunt...

With an effort, he keeps himself from leaning closer. But he does ask, with interest - as much of it as he can express, ]

How do they work? What breaks down?

[ He might not be able to help, but that doesn't mean he won't try. He is not an inventor, but he is an analyst - and even formulating thoughts out loud might lead Wei Ying out of his moment of uncertainty. ]

[espritdecorpse]

They...

[ They work via a new method of demonic cultivation he's been harnessing: using the malevolent energy of the forest. But he's certain that if he admits that, the two of them will be in conflict once more. He scratches the back of his head. ]

Well, they were left over from something that happened before you got here. These puppets pressed people into service, playing out the roles of fairy tales. Have you been to the library? Have you been reading them? I recommend it. Anyway, afterwards, they all collapsed and didn't move again. I don't think they were intended to last that long, so they're simply breaking down from overuse. Probably I should just construct completely new ones. There's quite a bit of spare lumber about....

[ And since it's from the trees, which give off plenty of malevolent energy themselves, most likely they'll be just as easy to control as the puppets were. ]

[alittlespicy]

Mn...

[ ... don't think he didn't catch that hesitation, Wei Ying. And it doesn't take him long to sort out what it means, considering he information that he is given.

He hums again. ]

To they react at all to spiritual energy? If it does not destroy them, it might be able to strengthen them. Or new ones might be better.

There has been a lot to learn. Should... read. And find out more about the castle.

[espritdecorpse]

Er...

[ A beat. Lan Zhan's celestial qi is the wrong sort of energy. He smiles, his eyes flickering. ]

That's an idea, but... I'd prefer you conserve your own energy for now. You're still healing.

[ He lets the little cleaning device go, and sits down on the sofa next to the man, reaching for his shoulder to pat it. ]

Take care of yourself, first!

[alittlespicy]

[ Since WangJi didn't try to do it, nor did he actually offer himself yet, he tilts his head a little at Wei Ying's words, though his face... softens. Because the concern is still there, and it matters to him. ]

Would like to help.

[ Which is nicer - and true - than asking if Wei Ying has tried at all.

Trust. ]

[espritdecorpse]

Hmmm...

[ He taps his chin. He might do better at distracting the man, rather than arguing the point. ]

Let me see, people need lots of things around here. Food is the most urgent issue of course. Hunting is something you could do well, the animals here are bizarre in appearance, but edible, particularly if you concentrate on colored creatures. Oh, but killing is forbidden, I suppose.

[ He keeps prattling. ]

I've got my puppets working in the fields, but you yourself could do many times what any puppet could. It isn't glamorous work, but you don't care about that sort of thing, do you?

[alittlespicy]

Do not care. And killing is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses. Outside of it...

I prefer not to.

[ But they were all part of the Sunshot Campaign. Nobody's body count will quite match the YiLing Patriarch, but nobody's hands are clean. Nobody. ]

For food, if there is shortage, I can do it.

[ But the pale eyes don't quite waver from Wei Ying's face. He can see through the distraction. But he won't ask over the puppets again. ]