Untamed/MDZS catch-all

[ze_uwu_jun]

WHO: The Untamed / MDZS cast and friends (enemies, etc)
WHERE: Anywhere, everywhere, including their assigned lodgings and around all towns
WHEN: February
WHAT: Catch-all because the emotions never end
WARNINGS: The Untamed / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation / Mo Dao Zu Shi spoilers; canon-typical violence; event-typical violence. Will add more if it becomes necessary

ooc: Go forth and do the things as they come.

Comments

For Wangji: Heartless childe lives only for battle

[snowsparksjr]

Jin Ling had been alone when he had been attacked. He was an easy target, as imPorts went. All too eager to charge off alone at the sight of something strange. The villain had caught him and consumed his heart, leaving behind the fragments.

One of the fragments is a shadow creature, a neoshadow type with a glowing red dot at the center of its forehead and a chrysanthemum sigil on its chest. It attacks blindly, carrying a distinct gold and ivory sword.

Fairy fled when Jin Ling fell, smart enough to seek aid as soon as there was a situation her master could not handle alone. She searched the streets, barking loudly, heading in the direction of the Porter so that she could seek out other cultivators and bring them back to help.

[secondjade]

He heard the bark, first. Bichen was already drawn - two dark demons already fallen under his blade in the last hour. He still looks ethereally beautiful, the exertion apparently not changing that, but his expression is far more creased and worried than it usually was. He was not used to fighting things he’d never known, before. And these demons were something very new. So when he heard the sound of Fairy’s bark, he immediately looked up at the sound, spotting the spirit dog.

Alone.

He didn’t need further encouragement - he leapt in the dog’s direction, effortlessly crossing two dozen feet in a single leap, and then kept bounding after the dog as she led him back through the chaos.

More demons. This one, slightly bigger than the last, and in its hand—

Suihua.

He shot a sharp glance at Fairy, as if he could ask the dog where her master was, but there was something strange about this demon, too. A bright red dot on its forehead, and on its chest...

Wangji’s heart fell, his chest an empty cavern. No. The boy—-

He sheathed Bichen, unwilling to cut up the demon, and with a swift motion summoned forth his guqin instead, preparing himself.

[snowsparksjr]

The shadow had no such compunctions about attacking. It hurled itself at Wangji, ready to attack.

The stance was Jin Ling's, but the attacks were basic martial combat, no better than a common foot soldier under Jiang command. The demon had none of Jin Ling's creativity in battle.

Fairy kept barking as Wangji stopped, as the guqin came out, as though she could not understand why he had paused. She jumped, prancing back and forth, impatient to run, to take him to the alley where she had left her master. The sword--the monster and the sword didn't matter! Jin Ling was hurt!

For Meng Yao: I am Nobody, I am free

[snowsparksjr]

What remains in the alley once the attacker and the shadow depart is nothing but a body. A teenage boy, expensively dressed, with a bow still clutched in his hand and unused arrows splayed out beneath him. He may as well be dead.

But after some time passes, the body stirs and rises. It gathers up the arrows and adjusts the quiver on its shoulder. It checks its messages on the network. Nothing new, not yet. No one has even noticed that he is missing, or perhaps they do not care.

His sword is missing: an important belonging. A few minor gashes on his cheek and hand from when he was thrown to the ground. They do not heal as they should. When he focuses to try and heal them, he cannot. He cannot feel the golden core in his chest. If it is still there, something is wrong.

There are people who care for this body. People who will assist it. But the body knows that something is wrong, and the people who care for this body do not like things to be Wrong.

There is one who will accept him no matter what he becomes, and who will be able to provide practical aid no matter how wrong he may be.

Without bothering to send any message of announcement, the body makes its way to the residence of Meng Yao and knocks at the door.

[dazzlingdream]

The knock takes him by surprise - he isn't expecting company and so he assumes the visitor must be for one of his housemates. Yet Meng Yao is nothing but polite in such circumstances and he rises, walking to the door and opening it with a small, welcoming smile. Only to find Jin Ling looking...strange. Instinct takes over and he gathers the boy inside, his arm wrapped around him protectively.

"Jin Ling? Why are you here? What happened?" he immediately thinks that he should contact someone, but who? Can't he comfort his nephew? Meng Yao leads the poor boy to a seat, smoothing a hand over his cheek. He finds the skin unnaturally cold and that frightens him. Without knowing why - surely there must be a pulse - he presses his fingers against Jin Ling's jugular.

There's...nothing. That silence, that emptiness breaks his heart - what is left of it - and he quickly grabs his communicator, his hands shaking. Who? Who? Lan Xichen? Lan Wangji? Wei Wuxian?

[snowsparksjr]

"Something's wrong, Uncle." Jin Ling obediently lets himself be settled down and touched, but he reaches for the communicator and puts his hand over it when it appears. His uncle seems so upset. He doesn't seem to be thinking clearly. "Don't get me in trouble for coming to you."

He holds out his hand, the one that got scraped as he fell, expecting his uncle to heal it for him. "I can't heal myself. It's not working."

He missed a few answers to questions there, but he doesn't see any reason they're in a hurry for question-answering.

For Wangji! Day after Lantern Fest

[yilingdaddy]

Jiang Cheng is here.

Jiang Cheng is here.

His little brother is here and still hates him. Wuxian...doesn't blame him. Can't blame him. He knows his brother far too well to expect anything less.

It changes nothing. He still loves his brother. Will still do anything he can to help him, to keep him safe.

It doesn't change the fact that he's reeling. That he's given up all pretense of attempting to meditate, leaving him in a confused miserable lump leaning against the window, staring outside the room he still shares with Wangji.

[secondjade]

Jiang Wanyin is here.

Jiang Wanyin is here, and Wangji still hates him.

Maybe hate was too strong a word, knowing what he knew now. Maybe there was a great deal of pity mixed in there, too. But ultimately, Jiang Cheng condemned Wei Wuxian to death at the very moment where Lan Wangji had almost gotten through to him. Had almost shown him that no matter what anyone else thought, there was still one man who wanted him whole and hale. Alive. He dreamed of that moment often, saw it in his mind’s eye if he closed his eyes too long.

Jiang Wanyin has stolen his hope from him, had betrayed his brother, had destroyed their lives. And now Wangji knew that he had done this all while still bearing Wei Ying’s golden core - while he had still privileged from Wei Ying’s greatest sacrifice.

But Jiang Cheng was a man that Wei Wuxian loved. And whether or not he deserved it was beside the point. He could see Wei Ying was miserable, and he knew why. Who wouldn’t be, after what they went through?

He gave Wei Ying all the space he needed, though he was never far to hand. And after a long time of Wei Ying leaning against the window, Wangji’s thoughts finally coalesced enough to show him what to say. He couldn’t fix their relationship, and he couldn’t fix what happened, but...

“Wei Ying.” The tone was soft. A gentle tug to pull the man’s attention. “Your file, when you arrived. You still possess it?”

[yilingdaddy]

He feels like he's spiraling, right back to where he'd been on the cliff. Except now there's a buffer. A reason not to go over it...no matter the pain.

Lan Zhan.

The truth behind everything.

...Lan Zhan.

Always Lan Wangji. Hanguang-Jun.

One person who, by all accounts, should not believe in him. Should never have believed in him. And yet has. And does. So no matter how bruised or battered Wei Wuxian feels, he won't take that last tempting step.

He'd only slept the night before because of the new routine of curling up with Wangji, though only for a few hours before he gave up on sleep and pulled away. Too restless. To bruised with what should have been a fun evening.

Wangji's voice tugs him back and he blinks, turning a confused look to his friend. He rubs absently at his face before nodding, and reaches into his Qiankun pouch for the folder he'd thrown in there after showing Wangji. He doesn't look at it, just holds it out towards his friend.

No one else has read it but them. Only Wangji knows what his 'powers' are. Only Wangji...knows everything.

For Wangji: Nobody stuffs!

[yilingdaddy]

Wangji is in trouble- well, probably not really, because it's Lan Zhan. But Wuxian wants to help anyway, and with Jiang Cheng giving Suibian back...and freeing it from it's sheath hadn't drained his core...

He can really help now. Without damaging himself further, which he knows has been a sore spot with Wangji since the other man had seen him start down that path. Different now. Here.

He hasn't discarded his flute, it's tucked out of the way, but he has Suibian drawn as he enters the fight. And he really should have practiced more than a few slashes along the way, because even as he flings himself into battle, he can tell he's grown rusty with his swordplay.

Wuxian let's out a cry of anger when he sees Wangji's robes slashed, and launches himself at the creature that had dared hurt his friend.

[secondjade]

Wangji has been fighting heartless for days. Whenever he seems to be rid of some, more appear. But the extended battle is starting to effect him, and he doesn’t feel quite as strong as he does back home, as if something is stifling his golden core. He fights on, without complaint, but he’s getting slower.

He feels cloth tear as he spins away, the last second being a little too late after all. He’s unharmed, but the outer layer of his robes is peeling back, fluttering in the wind like a flag behind him. He can feel the cold breeze on his chest, so it must have slashed all the way through. But it’s the last thing he’s worried about.

He’s far more worried about Wei Ying.

He leaps forward to join him, his sword twisting defensively to keep any blow from hitting Wei Ying. That was what mattered.

[yilingdaddy]

Nothing he can do now. But he has to try, to do what he can to help Lan Zhan. How dare they hurt his friend! Shadow wisps around him, lashing out at the heartless unbidden only to recoil back into him, sending him flinching back a step before he shakes himself off and pushes back into the fray. Keeping a more careful hold on emotions, lips pressed in a grim line as he wades in toward Lan Zhan.

The fluttering cloth catches his attention, draws it to a painfully familiar mark before the near hit has Suibian up to block beside Bichen.

Focus! Pester Wangji later for answers.

They end up back to back, swords drawn. "Alright?" He double-checks, voice tight as Suibian lashes out.

Open to all

[lanofsizhui]

I. Hearted attacked
[Among the missing persons reports that was filed, Sizhui is one among them. Sizhui has been missing for a week. It started when the creatures are attacking all over the city and the citizens. The news capture live videos of them. Creatures who look like living shadows, attacking citizens wildly as if they're searching for something.

He didn't show up for lessons. He didn't show up for work. Somebody noticed he went missing and filed the report to the police.

Any attempt to contact him to the phone will go unanswered.]

II. Hospital - video
[If one makes repeated phone calls, it turns out Sizhui is all right and he was checked into one of the hospitals. He checks his phones to see a handful of messages. He appears on the video. The only injuries were claw-like marks and bruises on his limbs. Marks that he was attacked by those creatures.

Hello...? I'm all right. As soon the nurse unhooked me from this line [referring to the IV] and the doctor said I'm okay, I can leave.

III. Wilcard
[Make up your own scenario and starter basing on the event! Reference: 1 + 2]

[secondjade]

[The first day Sizhui didn’t show up in the morning, Hanguang-Jun was concerned but understanding. Sizhui was the only one among the juniors who he would allow to skip class completely - he trusted the boy to only do so with utmost necessity. And given the attacks, Jin Ling’s disappearance, and Wei Ying...

He was already spread thin.

He sent a message: Be Careful and expected no reply.

The second day Sizhui didn’t show up for class, Wangji knew there was something wrong. He left the others in Xichen’s care for the day, and travelled to Sizhui’s place himself, a dread growing in him. Jin Ling. Wei Wuxian. What would he do if the same thing had happened to Sizhui, too?

No answer at the door, or at the window from outside. No light. Nothing.

He spent the next several hours searching, his agitation only growing, until he knew he had to go back to Wei Wuxian, locked in his room.

He messaged Xichen. ]

Lan Sizhui missing.

Unable to find him.

[ze_uwu_jun]

I thought that might be the case. I will look into putting his name into the missing persons list, though it does not seem to do much good.

[ But perhaps they can tell him how they keep looking. ]

I can take up the search, or keep watch over Young Master Wei.

[snowsparksjr]

Jin Ling knows very little about everything that has happened or why Sizhui is missing. His communicator has been uninteresting to him, without any emotional connection to the messages he receives, so he has mostly left it forgotten in his sleeve.

After leaving his uncle's place without announcement, he wanders the Porter cities for a few days, seeking entertainment. Eventually he tires of his adventures and wants comfort and rest again, so he returns home to find the place empty. But there's the television and the network for entertainment, so he curls up on the couch with Fairy, eating ice cream and watching trashy reality TV shows which require no emotional investment.

[lanofsizhui]

After being released from the hospital, getting in touch with his father and uncle, touching base to confirm that he is all right, health is stable, just minor scratches and bruises, but no injuries are grievous. It make sense that he went home. His first strategy is to take a short rest and then quickly contact the remaining juniors to check in as to what happened to them during the chaos.

The door clicks open and he steps in. The first person he sees is Jin Ling, who he is initially went searching for in the beginning.

He sat next to him. "Jin Ling...? Is that you? You're back. I was looking everywhere for you. Where have you been? Are you all right?" So many questions out of concern for him.

Hospital Video Call

[gusumouthcannon]

[It is not Jingyi's fault that he does not think to call Sizhui until later, but once he begins to he does so regularly until he finally, finally, reaches Sizhui. Once he does, he is almost bursting with relief.]

You are alive!

['Alive' was a major concern! People have been disappearing!]

What happened? Where are you? Can I come there? You missed the event and I did not know where to find you!

[lanofsizhui]

Sizhui awakens in a bright world. Besides being greeted by hospital staff, the first person in his video is one of his best friends, which is a big relief. Slowly remembers where he is currently.

"Jing Yi...? Is that you? I'm sorry to worry you. I promised to go to your ceremony, did I? How did that go? I don't know what happened. I was under attack by those creatures...and then I woke up here. That's my last memory. I would like you here. Please, come see me if you could."

It would take a moment for Sizhui to get information from one of the staff, and then he sends him the coordinates of his location to his phone.

iii

[secondjade]

The hospital should have called him. Not that he knew this - the modern world still a strange ambiguous place to him - but as Sizhui’s guardian, as his next of kin, he should have been summoned.

Later, he would rectify this. After he spoke to the hospital, they would tell him what he needed to do to get himself listed as next of kin in this world. But for the moment, Wangji’s knowledge had to be passed to him from the others.

He had sent messages when Sizhui had first disappeared, but then he had assumed the worst. He had spent the last few days killing heartless, as if he could bring his son back simply by killing everything that could have touched him.

When he was told Sizhui was alive - that he’d been released from the hospital - the relief was so deep and complete that Wangji barely knew what to do with it. Outwardly, his pace may have looked lesuirely, but he wasted no time in heading straight to Sizhui’s abode, hoping he had gone there first.

He knocked sharply on the door, waiting for a sign.

[lanofsizhui]

A few days has passed when Sizhui was released from the hospital. By then, he has accounted for Jin Ling, Fairy, and Jing Yi as he is certain of them. The messages left on his phone had been answered but he assumed that his father and uncle have been busy. So Sizhui simply assumed his duties and carry on his responsibilities.

He waited. Luckily he is home for the evening. Most of the bruises and scratches were healed by then, faded on their own.

The door opens, and without saying a word, Sizhui rushed forward to give him a due hug. He doesn't hold back as he's worried about his father for days, his father well-being never left his thoughts.

“Dad-...?" He caught himself, the word slipped. "Hanguang-Jun? Are you all right? Is everything well?”

Night-hunting Heartless (Who says this will backfire?!) | Tag to Miu

[gusumouthcannon]

[Timestamp: February 19th, Jeopardy, Evening]

"This is our responsibility to do," Jingyi reassures Miu as they meet in the fading light on a sidewalk in Jeopardy. His expression is bright and determined, his sword half-drawn in his hands already. There are shadows about, heartless that seem more numerous than they have in days past. "This is just night-hunting in a new place against new creatures."

Letting out a breath, he adds, "Be careful. I do not want anyone else to get hurt."

He's thinking of Sizhui in his hospital bed, of Jin Ling, of the control in Zewu-Jun's words and the expression on Hanguang-Jun's face. Going alone was never an option, though, not when there is another disciple who might help her new sect. "At least I have fought these things at the ceremony, so we should have no problems."

[blackwaterchild]

This was a terrible idea.

Miu knew that, she wasn’t stupid. She wasn’t a coward, she was practical, and she knew too that if they got caught, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen would make them do handstands for a month. No breaks.

But Jingyi has also been so determined and Miu kinda liked him for being so different from Sizhui and Jin Ling both—and she’s been upset enough about their circumstances... Just a little bit would likely be fine, right? In and out and back home before anyone could really know they were missing. She’s already got a cover story in the works if they were caught beforehand.

She also wonders who he’s trying to really reassure here—himself, or her.

I’m her hands she grips the antique camera, expression grim. “I can swing a naginata, but I don’t know how to actually fight, you know.” She’d used one for a hot minute during a show she was a minor character in for a few episodes before she’d done a dramatic death scene. She really hoped to not repeat that. “So you’re going to be doing most of the work. But...” She trails off, rubbing a thumb over one of the camera’s edges. “But I can slow time for a bit with this. So it’ll help.”

She also hopes Jingyi gets tired of this quickly. She glances behind her from where she came, giving a quiet apology to Wangji and Xichen before refocusing on Jingyi. “So come on, let’s go. You’re the leader here.”

A meeting (not too long after the conversation with Meng Yao): Xiao Xingchen

[ze_uwu_jun]

[ Xichen has not much coherent idea how to function right now.

So he turns to the thing he knows best, for all even that was tainted by malice in the man who chose to be Jin Guangyao's machinations. And while he can do some playing inside the house, he knows he probably needs more than that and his neighbors won't be happy. So he takes the xiao and makes his way to a park, anywhere he won't actually be disturbing people.

He sits cross-legged on a February-frosted bench. And plays, losing himself in the music. ]

[shuanghuas]

[ the strangeness of this place is not easily overcome; he has spent the better half of his time here learning to use new technology and nearly breaking or forgetting how to by the time he's figured out something new. it is exhausting and unwelcoming.

but the sound of the xiao, melancholic on the frosty february air is familiar. it calls to him, reminds him of everything that means home.

he walks blindfolded, allowing his senses to alert him to any obstructions. but in truth his pace is not perfectly steady. it is difficult when his 'blindness' has been but a few months.

the phantom ache of digging his eyes out remain.

still, he follows the music faithfully. snow crunching beneath his boots. he will not interrupt the mystery player but wait patiently for the music to end before greeting him. ]