Voice Test

[lifeban]

[look i am absolute dogshit at coming up with prompts for these and when i do we end up doing something totally different, SO

take your pick

and/or just ask for ridiculous texting

or propose something]

Comments

STILL GOOD

[lifeban]

[god that man is Shaped.

no, don't get distracted, Dan Heng. you're tired. you're achey. that man is standing next to your bed.]

...The Archive is closing.

I'd say I'm sorry about him but we both know I'm not

[abductive_reasoning]

No hours were posted.

[He has not moved. But he did at least glance back at the intruder. (Al-Haitham, this is his room. You are the intruder. You ar--you're not even going to listen to your own narration box are you.)

Oh man, his eyes are just stunning. And unsettling? ]

That should be rectified.

I'm also not. I'm thriving.

[lifeban]

[oh those eyes are. wew.]

You might have noticed the bed. While the archive is generally available to passengers, it is also where I sleep. The Astral Express isn't public enough to require posted hours.

skin is clear. crops are watered.

[abductive_reasoning]

Seems to be public enough to facilitate kidnappings.

[He is VERY CRANKY about being on this weird spacefaring thing and not at HOME harassing his ROOMMATE.

You ever get an aching sense in your bones that somehow, this is March 7ths' fault?]

You should move the bedroll. Excessive body heat will damage bindings.

[lifeban]

The floor keeps things cool enough. It isn't as though I'm using the shelves as my pillow.

[Mr. WATER FLOOR.]

...Wait, kidnapping?

[He is suddenly so, so certain this is March 7th's Fault.]

[abductive_reasoning]

I certainly did not end up here by my own free will.

[His tone is so dry it could probably have turned an ocean to sand. He is so angy. It is 4:37. HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOME IN 20 MINUTES, DAN HENG.]

No one has offered an explanation as to why I awoke here. Or why I was unconscious at all.

[MARCH WHAT DID YOU DO?]

[lifeban]

We aren't kidnappers. How...?

[puts his head in his hand.]

...Have you met a young woman with pink hair and too much energy?

[abductive_reasoning]

...I see this is a common occurrence with her.

[That reaction just told him so much.]

[lifeban]

She's yet to cause a single predictable problem aside from knowing that her opening her mouth will cause problems.

[abductive_reasoning]

Ah.

[He almost huffs a laugh. yes--he knows someone like that. Doesn't solve his current problem, though, so let's put that thought aside.]

Then I take it you have no ready explanation for returning me where she found me?

[lifeban]

Unfortunately...

[He's perceptive enough to catch that edge of amusement, which gets subtle approval in turn. Sure, she's a problem, but she's his problem.]

Let's establish a few things. You aren't an official passenger, right? Are you familiar with space anchors?

[abductive_reasoning]

I...cannot say that I am, no.

[His tone is even, but he expects that the level of sheer "WHAT THE FUCK IS A SPACE ANCHOR" is clearly conveyed by that pause.

because, dan heng. what the fuck is a space anchor????]

[lifeban]

The planet we're orbiting doesn't have any history with the IPC, so if she picked you up from there...

Where are you from?

[abductive_reasoning]

The Nation of Sumeru...

[A pause. Ah. No, he means in broader terms, doesn't he? That's wild. Now he's becoming curious. But this seems like the kind of knowledge that drives people to insanity like trying to make gods...hm. Now what to do with this?

Oh, right, expand the answer as necessary first.]

Teyvat.

[lifeban]

[a nod. appreciating the zoom out.]

Teyvat. That is, loosely, where we are, at least, so we won't have to warp jump back. But we'll need to land in Sumeru to drop you off properly, and we can't make arrangements for that tonight.

[abductive_reasoning]

[ . . . ]

Land?

[lifeban]

...

Come with me.

[stepping back into the hallway. with the big fucking windows looking out to the stars. the stars that APPARENTLY DON'T MATCH TEYVAT'S FAKEASS SKY,,]

These aren't a display.

[abductive_reasoning]

What.

[That came out extremely flat because. What? What?

He is fixated on staring out the glass, though. This is...

Oh he does not have words for this. Is he supposed to know it? Will this become a contagion, like the one that damaged Irminsul? THAT WORKED OUT SO FUCKING WELL FOR KING DESHRET DIDN'T IT???? FUCK!

On the other hand...if this isn't going to drive him insane and accidentally doom Teyvat...

...

The view is stunning.]

[lifeban]

[Who knows, man, the tired guy doesn't seem insane. Yet.

Jury's not commenting on March 7th. Or making eye contact with Pom Pom.]

The lobby has windows on the other side, overlooking Teyvat. But the conductor's out there, and if they haven't realized yet you're not an official passenger...

[There's furniture by the windows. Dan Heng is lowering himself achily into a chair.]

[abductive_reasoning]

The...rabbit creature? We have met.

[...And he's alive???]

[lifeban]

...

[he has to ask:]

Did they cry?

[abductive_reasoning]

[...Just gonna stare blandly at Dan Heng.

Yeah. Yeah Pom Pom definitely cried.]

[lifeban]

[yeah...

yeah.]

Let's spare them more tears for the evening.

[abductive_reasoning]

That's troublesome. I am meant to be at home right now.

[Kind of idly digging at his pockets and--

Dammit, yep, that's Kaveh's key.

He is going to be yelled at for two hours straight. He can feel it.]

[lifeban]

Since Teyvat doesn't exactly have a port-- at least, not for spacecraft... We'll need to be more careful about landing. I can set you up with a place to sleep, at least, and we'll see what we can do tomorrow.