{Voice; UN: scraps}

[disgracedprince]

I can't sleep and Lady Rinku had a wonderful idea. Though I have a different game in mind. Twenty questions! Except that seems overwhelming, especially at this hour, so I am cutting it to ten.

One: Are you close to your family?
Two: How far have you traveled from home? (Excluding any traveling in Ellipsa.)
Three: Have you ever been in love?
Four: Do you like poetry?
Five: What subjects have you studied?
Six: What are your favorite holidays and why?
Seven: What is your favorite color?
Eight: Have you ever wielded a weapon?
Nine: Did you have powers before you came to Ellipsa?
Ten: If you could be any animal, which would you choose?

Take your time and if any of the questions seems overwhelming, come up with one to replace it.

{Xie Lian falls silent as he waits, a gentle breeze causing the wind-chimes by his head to ring.}

Comments

un:happyaround

[roundandaround]

Hmm, that's a lot of questions... I think I'm close to all my family! The second one's pretty hard, since I've lived in lots of places, so it's like travelling from home to home to home...

[disgracedprince]

I wanted to have a nice array just in case some were too sensitive. {He can easily believe the first.} Why have you lived in so many places?

[roundandaround]

Oh, when I was a kid, my parents moved around a lot for work until we ended up on Tiotio Island. I lived in Nigeria, Australia, a couple other countries too! Mostly hot places. And then when I was old enough for high school, I went back to Japan to live with my grandma for school.

[disgracedprince]

I do not recognize any of those names. {Which is intriguing!} I wonder if they exist in my world? I would like to think they do.

Was it difficult for you to move around so much?

[roundandaround]

Hm... Sometimes a little. I'd miss people, and I stopped getting letters after a while. But I wasn't lonely. That was when I became friends with nature! I started learning about animals with the scientists who were studying them, and I played in the wild and made friends with the animals and stuff.

[disgracedprince]

I admire your ability to adapt. {Very much so!} I was miserable when I first left the place where I was born. I can see how spoiled I was back then.

You like giraffes, right?

[roundandaround]

Yeah! I like all kinds of animals! My favourite is the lion -- I can turn into that, too! But I also like cats, and lizards, and monkeys, and even beetles and stuff! I just became part giraffe by accident, but also sorta out of habit?

[Action]

[heavenlyscourge]

[ Arms slip around Xie Lian from behind and Hua Cheng rests his chin lightly on his shoulder. ]

Xie Lian knows his San Lan enough to answer those questions.

[ He's sure of that. ]

[Action]

[disgracedprince]

{Room is made for Hua Cheng immediately. Xie Lian even gives up his chair. He can sit on his husband's lap just fine~}

Shall I give it a try?

{His eyes sparkle and he flushes.}

The first one... It depends on whether we are referring to your biological family or the one you have made for yourself.

I know you have traveled vast distances.

I...would hope you are in love now. {He peeks at his San Lang hopefully.}

You've memorized poetry. I do think you like it.

I believe you have also studied all...useful...subjects. Just not calligraphy.

As for holidays...mm. That one I don't know.

Your favorite color is surely...red? {It looks so good on Hua Cheng!}

Eight and nine are a given. And ten...

I think San Lang would be something beautiful and fierce. A dragon or a tiger.

How did I do?

[heavenlyscourge]

[ He happily takes a seat and settles his love in his lap, though his arms only shift to make sure to snuggle his god close.

He smiles and kisses the side of Xie Lian's head. ]

Go with my found family. [ His biological family was...well. Not the best. But the one he's made for himself? That's simpler.

He grins and his arms tighten lovingly around his beloved. ]

I have been in love since the moment I saw you.

[ He pouts at the mention of his abysmal skill with calligraphy. He tries! He's just bad at that one thing. ]

I don't really have a favorite holiday.

My beloved did perfect. [ Not that he had any doubt! ]

[disgracedprince]

{He curls up with a happy smile, his attention focuses solely on his beloved. The kiss encourages him and he rubs a hand over Hua Cheng's chest.}

In that case, yes. You are close to those who love you. {Even when Hua Cheng seemed too mysterious or questionable, Xie Lian had always - and will always - believe(d) in him.} I trust my San Lang because his heart beats in my chest.

{The pout is carefully kissed and nuzzled. He loves the messy calligraphy!}

You were so little! I'm sorry I couldn't be there more for you.

[heavenlyscourge]

[ He rests his cheek on his beloved's soft hair, happily cuddling him close. His attention is just as focused! Always, always focused on his beloved Xie Lian. He grins and runs a loving hand over his husband's chest. ]

There is no other place for it.

[ Oh! A kiss and a nuzzle! He melts, gazing adoringly at his god. The apology has him shake his head and he kisses his sweet one softly. ]

You're with me now. That's all that matters.

[disgracedprince]

{Thanks to the many different types of soap - and shampoo! - Xie Lian smells like flowers and honey. His robes are soft too and perhaps - perhaps - made for wandering Calamity hands. He might be a martial god, but for his husband, he is just a man who has set down his sword and shield. He is a man who only wants to stay home.}

Nothing will happen to it.

{He smiles lovingly and opens Hua Cheng's robes enough to lay a kiss against his chest.}

I've wanted to be with you since you found me again, San Lang.

[heavenlyscourge]

[ Hua Cheng has always enjoyed getting to touch his beloved! But this place makes those scents even better. And his hands love to wander and explore every inch of his martial god. He's a Ghost King, one of the feared Calamities - but for Xie Lian, he's just a man who wants to make Xie Lian's life easier and safer.

He smiles softly as his chest receives a kiss and he runs loving fingers through Xie Lian's soft hair. ]

Just call for me. I will come.

video; un: psychicgirl

[yersavior]

That's certainly a different way ta play twenty questions.

[She's actually aware of the name of the game and is pretty sure that it's played a bit differently, hence why she comments on it aloud.]

But sure, might as well pass the time. Let's see here. . .

First: I'm pretty close ta my family, although my ma's the only surviving parent that I know is still alive.

[There's Rumi, of course, who she treats like a little sister and 31-A, too, but... she'll leave it at that.]

As fer yer second question, I've travelled pretty far from my hometown. I haven't ever left the country when I was back home, but I was pretty far from Osaka.

I ain't been in love before, and I ain't really much of a poetry gal, although I've helped with writin' songs, if that counts? [She shrugs her shoulders, before continuing.] I've had ta study a buncha subjects fer school, although I wasn't any good at any of 'em. I'm kinda dumb, actually.

[Not even afraid to admit it........] I don't really have a favorite holiday, but I think I've gotten to enjoy obon a lot more than I used ta. The reasons're personal, though.

Favorite color... I ain't really thought too much 'bout it before, but pink.

[Just look at her.]

I've wielded a weapon before -- I was in the tourney the other day, in fact. As fer powers before I came ta Ellipsa. [As she says that, she lets sparks trickle on her fingertips.] As ya can tell from this and my username, I'm a psychic. I have a buncha psychic abilities. There're some that I haven't tried yet since powerin' up, but this's is part of what I got so far.

And then the last question's... maybe a dog. How's that?

video

[disgracedprince]

It's my way. {He is curious about others, so this might be more of a knowledge seeking post rather than a game. Shhh.

His smile saddens.}

I'm sorry for your loss, but I am glad you have her.

{He had lost both parents at the same time. Even eight hundred years later, he misses them.}

What did you see on your travels? Anything interesting?

It does indeed! Songs are a type of poetry in my book. {He tuts at the next words.} You have yet to find your calling, that's all. You are not dumb at all.

Can you tell me a little about obon? I won't ask about your reasons. {He chuckles softly and nods.}

Pink suits you.

{Ah ha! Now he is very intrigued.}

I suggest you try them. If you need a partner for those tests, I am available.

{Being what he is, he isn't worried about being hurt.}

Perfect. Dogs are wonderful creatures.

[yersavior]

Me too.

[Even if her relationship with her mother is. . . well, it's more complicated now, even if she does consider them close. But she's glad that she's alive, still. That much isn't a lie.]

Not really. A lotta mountain, to be honest. [Mountain, mountain... then more mountain.] I can't say that I wrote the song myself, but I did help a little with the lyric writin' fer some of my band's work. Pretty hard stuff, if ya ask me.

[As for obon...]

It's a holiday back home, where ya celebrate the dead coming back fer one day.

[So yeah. Complicated reasons why she doesn't want to talk about it.]

I prob'ly will have ta at one point or 'nother. There's one skill that does require someone else, but it ain't exactly fer the faint of heart.

un:flex / voice

[emanation]

Why not? Honestly it's really hard to settle here sometimes, so I get struggling to sleep.

Though I thought twenty questions was usually you had to ask yes/no questions and the other person had to guess what you were thinking of after that? I guess it doesn't matter though, we're all trying to get to know each other, right?

{ sorry xie lian, you got a talker here. half of that was to himself, before he starts trying to go over the list properly. }

One: My team back home are my family, and we're normally really close. I've kind of... not been there for them lately though.
Two: That's kinda complicated to answer--does it count if it's through a portal?
Three: Uh. No. Not yet. I don't think so anyway?
Four: It's not really my thing
Five: I major in Religious Studies. It's uh. Kinda complicated though.
Six: Summer. Having less classes and being able to hang out with friends more is always nice. { he should be probably choosing christmas but no. }
Seven: That's a good question... Blue maybe?
Eight: Yeah. I use a chain whip kinda thing.
Nine: Do blessings count as powers? I guess they do. Normal people back home don't have them...
Ten: I don't think I would. It's kind of hard to protect humanity if you don't have thumbs.

voice

[disgracedprince]

I've been here long enough that it shouldn't be an issue, but sometimes sleep evades me.

{Memories haunt him and sometimes he thinks he sees things in the shadows.}

I'm playing it a different way. {Because he wants more than yes or no.}

Exactly. I'm very interested in everyone.

{And he isn't much for games as it is.}

Do you want to change that when you go back? You sound like you regret not being there for them or am I mistaken?

{He smiles and nods.}

Yes, a portal counts.

I hope you experience it in time. {He hopes everyone does.}

Religions value poetry in my experience. Each one of them is complicated because they deal directly with the human heart and soul.

I can't blame you for that. I used to love visiting my parents on my breaks.

{Oh that was so long ago.}

Like the sky or the sea?

Interesting! I would like to see it. {The chain whip, that is.}

They do indeed. Did you know that in my world prayers make the gods more powerful?

Is that what you're trying to do? {Protect humanity? It's such a big goal!}

[emanation]

{ it definitely does work much better as a bonding activity, even though after having to actually talk through them all means he'll forget some along the way now the initial reply is out there. }

I don't have much choice, I think I'm doing the right thing--but our hands are kinda tied. Figuratively, I mean. It doesn't mean I don't wish I could be in two places at once though.

{ he sighs }

And that kinda goes with what I was saying then. I was travelling through Italy before I arrived here. It's pretty far from home. And uh. { a small laugh slips out this time } The rites we have to say probably count as poetry, but I kinda suck at remembering all the lines. I'm much better when it comes to the combat side.

{ #mysterious }

When we get the chance I don't mind showing you it. We'll kinda need to know how people fight to work together, right? Not that I think everyone will be fighting. Just let me know when and I can make time. I pretty much just got here so I don't really have any other responsibilities yet.

{ but the last bit does start to make his responses slow down. gods? }

There's more than one God where you're from?

{ he finds it hard enough to believe in The One where he's from, nevermind more than one. }

And yeah, it's kinda my thing. My friend seems to think I have a complex, maybe I do.

un: ultimatelysuperior | voice

[ikeasnob]

It seems that being foolish is a theme with this place. I'm surprised you have gotten people to answer you.

voice

[disgracedprince]

How am I being foolish?

[ikeasnob]

Your questions, for one example.

[disgracedprince]

Then you are welcome to ask me questions instead.

[ikeasnob]

Hm... Alright. Who would you call the best here in this place?

[Information gathering, he can do. Also he thinks it's a better question than Xie Lian's.]