[It's not said...angrily, or accusingly, just in the same way one would comment on getting unexpectedly praised for their dancing when they thought they were...not terrible, but also not great. Or their cooking, or any other skill or trait which was merely just there: functional, good, even, but not remarkable. Is she good at bouncing back from things? Yes, and Guinaifen knows it.
Is it that admirable?
Well...maybe she should take it for the compliment that it is.]
I like to think I'm adaptable! It's not the first time something like this has happened to me: start off at one place, end up somewhere else. And- please don't get the wrong idea. I like and respect the Xianzhou Alliance and it's culture. It's my home and I don't plan on going anywhere- well, besides here, I guess! [It's a joke! Laugh.] But I feel like announcing where I'm from might be a bad idea if I don't take the time beforehand to make sure that I'm not in a planet full of followers of The Abundance. You know? Same deal here. Focus on understanding where you are, and then figure out how to make the most of your chances.
[ It is. Most people that Sunday knows would succumb to despair upon being thrust into a completely new world. People will always be weak in that way, clinging to some form of Polaris, unable to function without someone guiding their gaze ahead. Or so he'd thought. Even Sunday cannot deny that the Nameless triumphed over his own ideals.
But perhaps that's because they were the Nameless. Not everyone can climb aboard the Astral Express, and not all people are intended for the silver rail. ]
I see. That is certainly a reasonable course of action to the predicament we have landed in.
[ Or at the very least, landing on a planet full of those who walk the path of Abundance would be a problem for Guinaifen. Sunday, on the other hand, could probably negotiate his way out of trouble. The Harmony and the Order don't have any beef with the Abundance, as far as he knows. ]
I suppose this makes us a somewhat unlikely pair. I would not be opposed to sharing any information I acquire about this new land with you. Thus far, its residents appear to pose no threat, though it would be much easier to determine their motivations if they walked in the light of a particular aeon.
Everyone's been pretty nice! [Well.] ...well, besides the obvious. You know, the people who sentenced us and threw us in here. But even then, they weren't as cruel as they could've been. I'd love to work with you. People'll tell things to a street performer that they wouldn't tell to a well dressed guy like yourself, and vice versa, you know?
[And she could've left it at that, but Guinaifen hesitates, chews the inside of her cheek, and then says- fuck it. Fuck it. She straightens a little.]
I hope you don't mind me asking this, but- do you know Robin? See, I've been thinking you kind of look like her, and not just in the you're a Halovian, she's a Halovian way.
[ It's true. Whoever tossed Sunday to this strange new planet could have done much worse to him. He deserves at least that much. Even Sunday knows this.
Still, Guinaifen's comment drawing a contrast between the two of them draws a smile to his face. ]
Indeed. The classic strategy of divide and coquer.
[ It's Guinaifen's following comment that has the smile wavering for a split second before returning to his face. It's difficult to maintain that genial expression at the mention of Robin's name. But Sunday's had plenty of practice obscuring his true thoughts behind diplomatic masks. This is no different. ]
Not at all. In fact, it appears you have made quite the astute observation. Robin is my twin sister. Thus, it is reasonable for you to find that we resemble each other.
[With keen performer eyes, Guinaifen sees that split-second waver, and with her keen performer instincts she thinks...
Well, paraphrased: oh yeah, she's also a sister, has siblings, and now she thinks about it, she's kind of worried about the next time she'll see them again? If they're on a planet that's off of the silver rails, who knows how long that'll be! And it makes sense that Sunday - a brother - would have similar feelings towards his sister.
It really does.
Oh no. She sure fucking stepped in it by reminding him of the pain of separation that comes from being plunked down on two separate planets.
(Her keen performer instincts are only so keen.)
So Guinaifen rallies with a smile! Because she's not going to let Sunday dwell on the pain of an ambiguous situation, he's such a good and kind guy, and as a sister she's going to use her keen sister instincts to fucking keep him from dwelling on the pain.]
I wasn't sure if I should ask. See, I'm an outworlder on the Xianzhou, and more than once I had people assume I'd know some other outworlder simply because we're both outworlders. How does that make sense? It's like saying you should know every single Halovian just because you're a Halovian, and for all I know there's hundreds of Halovians over at Penacony.
[ Sunday waves a hand at Guinaifen, an attempt to reassure her that all is well. ]
Please, there's no need to tiptoe around it. But it is true. There are quite a number of Halovians who call Penacony their home.
[ And even more who technically weren't from Penacony, but they spent so much time in the Dreamscape that they may as well be actual residents. Maybe it's the same for Guinaifen. She's already introduced herself as an outworlder on the Xianzhou. It stands to reason that she must be an outworlder from somewhere else.
Where that might be is none of Sunday's business. ]
Are you you familiar with my sister's work?
[ Just out of curiosity, of course. Have her talents reached as far as the Xianzhou Alliance? There's a part of Sunday that's always been proud of her, even if he loathed how she sometimes fell in the crosshairs of danger because of it. ]
[And she says this very brightly, with confidence and certainty - intergalactic superstar Robin's music has reached far, and even the Xianzhou have heard of her. If Robin were to one day ascend upon the path of pop-stardom and become The Song, Guinaifen would be...
...well, she'd be surprised, who wouldn't be, who expects any old random person to ascend to being an Aeon? But she wouldn't be as surprised as she could, perhaps, be. There would be a part of her that would go, "Well...I didn't expect a new Aeon to be born, but Robin becoming The Song? The Musical Arbiter? That tracks."]
She's probably not as popular as she could be. The Xianzhou like traditional music, like with the sheng or the guqin. Plus, there's...
The coast is clear. Nevertheless, she leans in a little, her voice lowering into a conspiratorial hiss, like she's telling Sunday Xianzhou secrets. Priceless Xianzhou secrets.]
There's a lot of old people.
[Grin! Normal voice again.] Not exactly what I'd call your sister's normal audience.
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expiationlogs2024-06-10 07:58 am
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[It's not said...angrily, or accusingly, just in the same way one would comment on getting unexpectedly praised for their dancing when they thought they were...not terrible, but also not great. Or their cooking, or any other skill or trait which was merely just there: functional, good, even, but not remarkable. Is she good at bouncing back from things? Yes, and Guinaifen knows it.
Is it that admirable?
Well...maybe she should take it for the compliment that it is.]
I like to think I'm adaptable! It's not the first time something like this has happened to me: start off at one place, end up somewhere else. And- please don't get the wrong idea. I like and respect the Xianzhou Alliance and it's culture. It's my home and I don't plan on going anywhere- well, besides here, I guess! [It's a joke! Laugh.] But I feel like announcing where I'm from might be a bad idea if I don't take the time beforehand to make sure that I'm not in a planet full of followers of The Abundance. You know? Same deal here. Focus on understanding where you are, and then figure out how to make the most of your chances.
no subject
But perhaps that's because they were the Nameless. Not everyone can climb aboard the Astral Express, and not all people are intended for the silver rail. ]
I see. That is certainly a reasonable course of action to the predicament we have landed in.
[ Or at the very least, landing on a planet full of those who walk the path of Abundance would be a problem for Guinaifen. Sunday, on the other hand, could probably negotiate his way out of trouble. The Harmony and the Order don't have any beef with the Abundance, as far as he knows. ]
I suppose this makes us a somewhat unlikely pair. I would not be opposed to sharing any information I acquire about this new land with you. Thus far, its residents appear to pose no threat, though it would be much easier to determine their motivations if they walked in the light of a particular aeon.
no subject
[And she could've left it at that, but Guinaifen hesitates, chews the inside of her cheek, and then says- fuck it. Fuck it. She straightens a little.]
I hope you don't mind me asking this, but- do you know Robin? See, I've been thinking you kind of look like her, and not just in the you're a Halovian, she's a Halovian way.
no subject
Still, Guinaifen's comment drawing a contrast between the two of them draws a smile to his face. ]
Indeed. The classic strategy of divide and coquer.
[ It's Guinaifen's following comment that has the smile wavering for a split second before returning to his face. It's difficult to maintain that genial expression at the mention of Robin's name. But Sunday's had plenty of practice obscuring his true thoughts behind diplomatic masks. This is no different. ]
Not at all. In fact, it appears you have made quite the astute observation. Robin is my twin sister. Thus, it is reasonable for you to find that we resemble each other.
no subject
Well, paraphrased: oh yeah, she's also a sister, has siblings, and now she thinks about it, she's kind of worried about the next time she'll see them again? If they're on a planet that's off of the silver rails, who knows how long that'll be! And it makes sense that Sunday - a brother - would have similar feelings towards his sister.
It really does.
Oh no. She sure fucking stepped in it by reminding him of the pain of separation that comes from being plunked down on two separate planets.
(Her keen performer instincts are only so keen.)
So Guinaifen rallies with a smile! Because she's not going to let Sunday dwell on the pain of an ambiguous situation, he's such a good and kind guy, and as a sister she's going to use her keen sister instincts to fucking keep him from dwelling on the pain.]
I wasn't sure if I should ask. See, I'm an outworlder on the Xianzhou, and more than once I had people assume I'd know some other outworlder simply because we're both outworlders. How does that make sense? It's like saying you should know every single Halovian just because you're a Halovian, and for all I know there's hundreds of Halovians over at Penacony.
[Distract! Distract!]
no subject
Please, there's no need to tiptoe around it. But it is true. There are quite a number of Halovians who call Penacony their home.
[ And even more who technically weren't from Penacony, but they spent so much time in the Dreamscape that they may as well be actual residents. Maybe it's the same for Guinaifen. She's already introduced herself as an outworlder on the Xianzhou. It stands to reason that she must be an outworlder from somewhere else.
Where that might be is none of Sunday's business. ]
Are you you familiar with my sister's work?
[ Just out of curiosity, of course. Have her talents reached as far as the Xianzhou Alliance? There's a part of Sunday that's always been proud of her, even if he loathed how she sometimes fell in the crosshairs of danger because of it. ]
no subject
[And she says this very brightly, with confidence and certainty - intergalactic superstar Robin's music has reached far, and even the Xianzhou have heard of her. If Robin were to one day ascend upon the path of pop-stardom and become The Song, Guinaifen would be...
...well, she'd be surprised, who wouldn't be, who expects any old random person to ascend to being an Aeon? But she wouldn't be as surprised as she could, perhaps, be. There would be a part of her that would go, "Well...I didn't expect a new Aeon to be born, but Robin becoming The Song? The Musical Arbiter? That tracks."]
She's probably not as popular as she could be. The Xianzhou like traditional music, like with the sheng or the guqin. Plus, there's...
[Guinaifen's eyes dart left, dart right, checking...
The coast is clear. Nevertheless, she leans in a little, her voice lowering into a conspiratorial hiss, like she's telling Sunday Xianzhou secrets. Priceless Xianzhou secrets.]
There's a lot of old people.
[Grin! Normal voice again.] Not exactly what I'd call your sister's normal audience.