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

[lifeban]

[handsome,,? o///o]

...I can repair my pants. And...

[hold on trying to re-hide his horns and tail...

no dice.]

They already knew. So here, at least, is fine.

[eggstinction]

[curls his tail back and forth, PLEASED??]

Alright. Then, if we are to go out…?

[tips his hand towards Dan Heng’s suitcase before turning around to explore the rest of the room. privacy for him to get dressed.]

[lifeban]

Right.

[he's not all that body-shy, at least, and there's the rustling of cloth behind Moon.]

[eggstinction]

[after a bit, chirps over his shoulder,]

Ready?

[lifeban]

[a little more rustling. poor bastard having to figure out how to have a tail in pants NOT designed for it. they are slung so low and belted now.]

Ready.

[his coat is on moon, so he's looking good in his undershirt]

[eggstinction]

[INDECENT THOUGHTS ABOUT THOSE ZIPPERS]

Okay! Please, lead the way.

[lifeban]

[in due time,

the automatic door slides open, and Dan Heng leads the way through the passenger cabin-- or at least a little of it. his room is the one closest to the door to the parlor car, after all.

the passenger cabin is serene and empty, at least in its hall, but the parlor car... aside from simply being vast, is also very much occupied.

pretty much the whole rest of the astral express crew (choose your protag flavor here) are sitting at a plush booth, having coffee and breakfast.

the pink haired girl perks up when the door slides open, waving and opening her mouth.]

"Dan Heng! What kept you? You're normally-"

[then she seems to process a) Moon and b) Dan Heng's condition and c) Moon, her jaw just dropping at that point.

the others only start to notice when she stops talking.]

[eggstinction]

[Moon was all over that short little trip through the hallway, stealing a peek out of every window with his tail straight up like a kitten's.

but his excitement gets reigned in sharply as the parlor door opens. he's not staring around or clicking a dolphin call at the ceiling lights, he's standing straight and polite a half-step behind Dan Heng, tail coiled neatly at his feet. lifts one hand, gives a lil' wave.]

Good morning.

[lifeban]

Good morning.

[He chimes in, tail swishing awkwardly. But beckons to Moon, and heads towards the breakfast club.

A round little creachur wanders out from behind a corner and does a magnificent double take.

The redheaded woman assesses both dergs as they approach, utterly calm, and speaks up.]

"I didn't know we had a guest, Dan Heng."

[This is when the bnuuy gets verbal.]

"You're supposed to tell Pom Pom about passengers, not sneak them aboard!"

[The older man seems quietly stressed, but keeps eating his toast. The trailblazer takes the opportunity to sneakily dump their coffee in a potted plant while the redhead isn't looking. March, with the pink hair, eyeballs Moon with perhaps surprising aggression, given her earlier cheer.]

[eggstinction]

[follows behind him, glancing across the gathered crew without seeming to linger on anyone in particular... he's got enough extra eyes to dedicate one per person.

to the bunny— he bows slightly, hands clasped behind him. he doesn't expect anyone to know sea dragon court manners, but it's much more casual than the one-armed bow he gave dan heng on their introduction.]

Please accept my apologies for the intrusion. My arrival was unplanned and unexpected, but Dan Heng has been kind enough to shelter me during my confusion.

[lifeban]

[Pom Pom puffs up in response to the manners, though! Salutes in its squart little way.]

"Dan Heng really is a good guy! You're welcome aboard, and you should tell Pom Pom what you like to eat!"

[Dan Heng tips his head to the critter indicatively.]

Pom Pom is the Conductor.

[meanwhile, March 7th is storming up to get right in Moon's face-- as much as she can, given she is not terribly tall and he is himself.]

"What did you do to him?!"

[Dan Heng, who was reaching to interfere, sort of pauses, stunned by her venom and protectiveness.]

[eggstinction]

Thank you, Conductor Pom Pom. I enjoy fish, but you needn't go out of your way. I am not picky.

[another polite nod for the bun. only after he's answered Pom Pom does he grant any attention to March 7th's interruption]

I did not hurt him, if that is your concern.

[lifeban]

[pom pom is ALSO boggling at March. it seems this is not necessarily standard behavior from their cute girl.]

"Then why does he look like that again? He doesn't like it, and he went to bed like usual!"

[Dan Heng flinches, and reaches to catch her wrist.]

It's fine, March.

[eggstinction]

"Why" is a private matter between him and I.

[lifeban]

[this time it's the older man who speaks up.]

"He's right, March. It's up to Dan Heng to share, if he wants to."

[she deflates.]

It's not like last time.

[eggstinction]

[swishes his tail in front of himself, placing a low knee-high barrier between himself and the girl. a subtle "now back off."

...and if the sweep of his tail includes dan heng in its protective arch, well. he has a long tail okay.]

[lifeban]

[this is a lot for a guy.

speaking of not knowing dragon manners, Dan Heng does know better, technically, than to do what he next does. which is flop the tip of his own tail over Moon's to lower the barrier slightly and lean out to pat March's head. without leaving that defensive space.]

Sorry for the surprise.

[eggstinction]

…

[moon twists the tip of his tail around dan heng’s, joining them together for a second, then drops his tail to curl it behind their legs]

[lifeban]

[flushing at that twist of tails, but letting him disengage.]

Let's eat.

[stepping away from the whole mess of people to drag over two armchairs. not gonna make Moon join the booth crush, nor leave him alone on the other side of the table.]

[eggstinction]

Thank you.

[takes his seat, tail tip-tapping happily underneath the chair, and gives him a small warm smile. no manners this time, just genuine appreciation.]

[lifeban]

[cute...

everyone settles down pretty well after that. March still gives Moon the occasional stink-eye, but a nudge from the Trailblazer quells that a bit. the table lapses into various domestic chitchat, and everyone but Dan Heng and Himeko avoid the coffee as subtly as they can.]

[eggstinction]

[considers how the Trailblazer threw their coffee into the plant… sticks to heavily salted water.

moon happily makes small talk if he’s engaged but he’s not volunteering that he’s a real actual dragon or anything about how he got on board. figure it out or suffer the awkwardness of asking, y’all.]

Might I ask, if you know, what is the nearest— what do you call them? Black hole?

[lifeban]

[Dan Heng drinks his coffee without flinching, but that doesn't mean it's trustworthy. No one is bluntly asking about Moon... mostly because they're used to how little Dan Heng likes sharing things about himself, and Moon seems very wrapped up in that. The black hole question gets the older man-- Welt, he introduced himself as-- to pause.]

"We can check easily enough... why?"

[eggstinction]

Mm, well, they're useful landmarks, aren't they?

[i'm lost and i want to know whose neighborhood i'm in]

[lifeban]

I'll show you in the databank.

[aka his bedroom.]