deadwenwalking | overflow

Well that's just unfortunate. Why build a library if there weren't already books to put in it? That seems like poor planning. If they only had a few books to work with it might have been easier to keep them in boxes until there was enough to fit in a room.

Maybe the train is optimistic about its future literature acquisitions.

"Oh..." That's all he can think of to say out loud, frowning. "Who, um. ...Who might be the best to ask about technological things?"

That was WangJi's question exactly. Why bother if it was going to be a terrible library? But he hadn't been in control of that decision. He just had to live with it. He and at least one other were trying to get people to write their own stories, world histories, anything they thought people would want to read, to take up space but that took time.

"There are a few who come from significantly more advanced worlds, but I think the level of advancement is dropping a bit though I can't say for everyone. There is a young man who has assisted the Blue Team at least twice, he has given me some advice on technology before. It sounds as though his world is far more advanced than this. I can give you his name. Also asking general questions over the device will likely get replies back on certain things."

Asking general questions over the device also gives Wen Ning something akin to stage fright. He might not be able to see everyone, but he knows that everyone on the train can hear him. It makes him quite nervous, so that's something he'd rather fall back on as a last resort.

"Who is it? I-I mean, I'm not going to go bother them about things right and left, but it would be good to know." There are already people on his team who have been helpful. It's his hope that he can eventually learn from just watching so he isn't constantly bothering people in order to figure out how the most basic of items work. It would surely get annoying to others after a while unless they really enjoyed flaunting their superior knowledge on the subject.

WangJi certainly understood that. He didn't particularly care what others thought of him, but he also didn't make many posts over the network except for certain times. He still preferred to speak to people in person.

"His name is Quatre. He usually introduces himself by his full name. He is a young man with blonde hair. If you don't wish to contact him with your device, he is often in the music carriage at least once a day."

That was really how WangJi knew him aside from the two missions they'd been on together, the fact that both of them used the music carriage to practice.

It's an odd name, but many of the names he's heard in this place have been odd. Most of those not from some version of their world come from places that clearly speak different languages entirely. It's quite fantastical how the train makes it so they can all understand each other.

There are several young men with blond hair here, so he commits the name to memory. It could be that he never has a reason to talk to this individual. If he does, the option is available to him. As long as the man doesn't mind.

"I don't think I've been to the music carriage yet..." When he'd come across Lan Xichen playing his xiao he'd been in the garden.

It was true. Names here were very different than they were back home. It did take some getting used to.

"The music carriage much better equipped than the library." There were a lot of random instruments there. Even if WangJi would never try to play them, someone could probably make some good music with them with practice.

"Equipped? There are actual instruments there?" Wen Ning isn't sure what he expected. Maybe he thought there would just be music playing, or that it would simply be a quiet place to play music yourself. But hearing that there are actual items to practice with there makes more sense.

He feels silly for thinking otherwise, really. "Are there ones from all different worlds? There would have to be so many..."

"There are. Some of them seem like ones we'd have back home. There's nothing overly sophisticated like my guqin, but there are some simple ones."

WangJi thought for a moment. He'd looked but never really played any of those. "I suppose there are some from different worlds. They are not ones that I have seen villagers playing."

"I've never had the chance to pick up an instrument myself..." It isn't exactly what the Wen clan specializes in. He had been made fun of by other members of his clan enough without having to draw any more attention to himself.

And aside from that, playing music well requires a lot of soul. His is incomplete.

"Were there not any that looked particularly... interesting? Or strange?" No giant pink fruit-shaped string instruments? Probably not. It would have been mentioned already.

"It might be a chance if you are curious about it." Since no one owned the instruments in the music car, anyone was free to try them. If Wen Ning was curious, he certainly could.

"Strange? Not particularly. Unusual for us, but nothing alarming."

"Oh." Well, it's hard to be disappointed by that when they have instrument options available and he didn't even know about that before this conversation. Not having strange ones is fine.

"Have you considered trying anything new there?" It's hard to imagine Lan Wangji playing anything but the guqin. Still, it could be entertaining.

Yeah there weren't any that looked like they might eat someone or turn someone evil just for looking at them at least. WangJi had found them normal enough in that respect.

"I have tried out a few of them to see what they were like. I doubt I will give up my guqin though."

"Oh, I wouldn't expect you to!" Wen Ning waves off the very idea with a sheepish grin. "You're far too good at it. I was only thinking if you wanted to try something else on top of it..."

He thinks about possibilities for himself and can only give a sad smile. "I'm afraid I might break one if I tried playing, honestly."

"They are good for some amusement at least." For him, at least. He was skilled in music and with a rather complicated instrument. Playing some of those was a good release as he didn't have to really know it.

"They seem to be fairly durable."

"All of them are?" That's something if the train has been able to make some of the items it has on it more durable than usual. Wen Ning knows how delicate some instruments can be, and he doubts everyone on this vehicle is going to be careful when using them. There are always those that don't care about that sort of thing. It would make sense, then, for the train to compensate if it's capable.

"Maybe I'll have to look at them after all..."

"As far as I can tell." He'd never actively tried to break them after all. That was almost a sin to a musician... and also in the Gusu Lan family rules somewhere.

"I can show you to the music car if you wanted to see it."

"Sure! I-I mean... if you want. It will be more fun to see it with someone else." Even if that someone else is Lan Wangji, someone who doesn't exactly exude a very 'fun' aura even on a good day. He's still a friend, so that counts.

"I'll even try not to touch everything right away." Despite the assurance of their durability, Wen Ning doesn't like the idea of accidentally causing and possibly precariously placed instruments to topple.

"Of course. We can go now if you'd like to see it."

He had no problem with showing him immediately. There was nothing that he really needed to do right now and he was showing Wen Ning around.

"R-right now?"

Wen Ning isn't sure what he'd expected when he'd asked. Had he intended to make plans for later? It isn't exactly like he's busy or anything. So he gets over his surprise quickly and nods.

"Sure! I'm up for it."

"Alright. Did you want to drop everything off in your room first?"

Since he has newly arrived, he might like to do that first.

"That might be a good idea..." Not that he has much to drop off. All he has is what this place has given him so far. He hadn't been fortunate enough to arrive with an item from home because there was nothing important enough to bring along that wasn't another living person.

"Should I meet you there? Or... somewhere else." Wen Ning has no problem letting Lan Wangji know where his room it. It can only be helpful in the future to have his friends know where to find him, as far as he's concerned.

Still, it would probably be nice to be able to put that bag down and not have to carry it around randomly. Also then he could find his cabin.

"We can meet there. It is not so hard to find."

One benefit of the train is that everything is a straight line.

It's all a straight line until it decides it needs double-decker cars.

"Okay! I'm very grateful for your help, Second Master Lan." Different worlds or not, it will be nice to spend some time with the man that doesn't involve Wen Ning basically being the third wheel. Not that he minded that either.

"I'll be there shortly."

Yep, that will make it more confusing, but still, everything had a theme so it shouldn't be too hard.

"You don't need to thank me. I am happy to help." He has been doing this a lot since becoming the Blue Team's leader. It was something that he rather liked doing since then he could help the new arrivals.

"I will wait for you there." And he'd wait for Wen Ning to board the train first.

Wen Ning bows to the man again, already feeling more comfortable about things knowing there were those around he knew. He can't help but thank him, even if Lan Wangji would prefer otherwise.

At the very least, this keeps him from dallying around outside the train for too long. He heads inside the rather frightening mode of transport with much more confidence, ready to find his bunk so he can toss his bag onto it. He's barely even checked to see what's in it.

It's okay. It happens

achickenformylove - 2021-05-13 21:03 (UTC) - Expand

overflow - voidtreckers

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I had basically forgotten where they even were in this thread, ngl.

It's okay. It happens