[sidereal - the dreaming]

[laughitoff]

[for MDZS AU plot-related shenanigans]

Comments

[laughitoff]

[blank talisman and ink and brush, he instructs, and presses the design for the paperman spell into Lan Wangji's head

Wei Wuxian has always been very good at working through pain without addressing it at all.]

[strikingchords]

[folding and inking a paperman in the dark one-handed is a bit of a trick

Lan Wangji manages it, because of course he does]

[laughitoff]

[what a fucking relief it is, to pour himself into that different vessel for a little while; jumps off Lan Wangji's hand immediately and hurries to see what's locking him down]

[strikingchords]

[literal padlocks! if Wei Wuxian can influence his paper body enough to stiffen his arm and press inside where the tumblrs should be, he can probably get at least one of the less-securely locked ones to click free; he can't try too hard or he'll break his own arms, but one should be enough if it's close enough to one of Lan Wangji's hands.]

[laughitoff]

[yeah cool he'll do that and then paff his hand once it clicks loose]

[strikingchords]

[wriggles his hand loose and starts to work on the lock on the other side





after a couple of tries he just infuses enough spiritual energy into his hand that he can crush it and pull it loose :| DOES THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES TILL HE CAN SIT UP]

[laughitoff]

[he's found one of the bigger red marbles to perch on while Lan Wangji does that]

[strikingchords]

[lights a fire talisman in his hand once he's free and finally looks around...

they're in a tunnel underground that heads east-west under the mountain surface. it's fairly even except for the spot they're in, which is a bigger, rougher circle in the middle of the tube. it could be to accomodate the chain-net trap, but it also looks a little like something crashed down here and made a hole.

that impression is reinforced by the heap of gold and red marbles that he was laying on top of. they're concentrated most in the middle of the circle, but they spray haphazardly out into the tunnel on either side, as if someone poured a giant bucket of them out in the center and watched as they bounced away across the floor.

picks one up curiously, now that he can see them properly...]

[laughitoff]

[it feels warm and curiously vital under his fingers, but also oddly faded]

[strikingchords]

[is there any difference between the red and gold?]

[laughitoff]

[the pulse in the red is stronger and the energy in it has a feverish feel.]

[strikingchords]

[...

he frowns and retrieves his guqin and the spirit-trapping pouch with the couple in it. his arm is already less painful, fortunately; without having to worry about Wei Wuxian in his head temporarily he's healing himself as fast as he can.

Are these yours as well? What are they?]

[laughitoff]

[no is the first answer. when they try to answer the second his guqin just

goes dead

like it still looks fine and it's working as it should but the notes just stop and his vision goes bad when he tries to sightread from the strings]

[strikingchords]

[...frowns deeper

Why can't you answer?]

[laughitoff]

[this is not your dream

this is not your nightmare]

[strikingchords]

[...goes very still...]

[laughitoff]

[the couple rests on the last string they landed on, quivering. Wei Wuxian has long since turned away to scan the tunnels]

[strikingchords]

[My thanks. Which way?

he'll put everything away again and stand up once they've answered, if they can.]

[laughitoff]

[our heads lie west]

[strikingchords]

[all right.

after finishing up with the couple he moves over to where Wei Wuxian is, and kneels down]

Wei Ying.

[...

extends a hand palm-up to him, a convenient stepping stone]

[laughitoff]

[looks at him for a very long time through that one expressionless paper eye, before stepping on]

[strikingchords]

[brings him up to eye level so they can look at each other better. gravely, after another pause to sort through his words]

I was unclear.

[laughitoff]

[folds his tiny paper arms and turns away again

no talk me im angy]

[strikingchords]

[i should not be thinking "no that's cute" in this situation but there it is, my taste is terrible. softens a little]

I will try once more, by your leave.

[laughitoff]

[. . .





peeks back over his own shoulder, just a little]